Milind Deora quits Congress; likely join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena

Mumbai: Congress leader and former Union Minister Milind Deora left the party on Sunday. On the day, he informed that he had resigned his primary membership in the party, PTI reported.

In a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the former South Mumbai Lok Sabha MP said, "Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey. I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of the Congress, ending my family's 55-year relationship with the party. I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues and karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years." Speculation is rife in political circles over the past few days that he is likely to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Deora, who was recently appointed the joint treasurer of the All India Congress Committee, had expressed disapproval at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat.

The undivided Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant, now with the Thackeray faction, had defeated Deora in the 2014 and 2019 general elections.

Deora was also the head of the Mumbai Congress at one time. He is the son of party stalwart late Murli Deora.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh reacted to the development that the timing of the announcement of Deora's departure from the party was clearly determined by PM Modi.

He took it to X, how he remembered Deora's father. He wrote, "I recall my long years of association with MURLI Deora with great fondness. He had close friends in all political parties but was a stalwart Congressman who ALWAYS stood by the Congress party — through thick and thin. Tathastu!"