Mumbai: Congress leader Milind Deora on Sunday announced his resignation from the party amid the speculations that he would join the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Deora, who was recently appointed the joint treasurer of the All India Congress Committee, had expressed his disagreement with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat.
Taking to social media platform 'X', Milind declared that he tendered his resignation from the primary membership of Congress, ending his family's 55-year relationship with the party. “Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey. I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of @INCIndia, ending my family’s 55-year relationship with the party. I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues & karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years,” wrote Deora.
On Saturday, he had rubbished the rumours on quitting Congress and joining Shiv Sena. "I am listening to my supporters...Haven't taken a decision yet," the former Mumbai South MP said when asked if he was chalking out a plan with his supporters.
Deora quit the party on the day when the Congress is beginning the second phase of Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'.
However, news reports from Maharashtra said that he decided to leave the party after it became clear that he would not get the Congress ticket to contest from the Mumbai South seat. If he joins the Shiv Sena, the Shinde faction may seek the Lok Sabha seat for him, these reports said. But it needs to be seen if the BJP agrees to leave the seat to the chief minister's party.
In a video statement issued last Sunday, Deora said that if an alliance partner does not stop making such statements, his party too would announce candidates for seats.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is an alliance partner of the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) in the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
Deora, one of the youngest members of the 15th Lok Sabha, was the minister of state for communications and information technology in the UPA in 2011.
Deora, son of the late Murli Deora who was a union minister, had won the Mumbai South seat in 2004 and 2009. He lost in 2014 and 2019 to Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant.
Deora had said his family represented the seat for 50 years and wasn't elected on any "wave".
(With PTI inputs)
