In yet another Sunday shocker in the politics of Maharashtra, former Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Milind Deora joined the Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena hours after quitting the grand old party. Disappointed over Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat, which he has been contesting, Deora left the Congress party.
"This is a very emotional day for me. I had never thought that I would quit Congress. Today, I joined Shiv Sena," said the former Union minister after joining Shiv Sena.
Ahead of the announcement, Deora arrived at Varsha bungalow, the official residence on Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who inducted Deora in the party.
“Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey," Deora said in an X post, earlier on Sunday.
"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," his post read.
Deora had lost two consecutive Lok Sabha polls to Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant in 2014 and 2019, and had raised concern over the likelihood of the Mumbai South seat falling to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) seat-sharing arrangements.
Ahead of joining the Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he would welcome Deora if he joined the party.
Reacting to Deora's resignation, which coincided with Rahul Gandhi's launch of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress party targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party.
"They (BJP) get so nervous, whenever we kickstart a Yatra, they hatch some or the conspiracy," said Congress leader Pawan Khera.
Nationalist Congress Party's Supriya Sule asked if the saffron party had no talent of its own.
"I wonder if there is no talent in the BJP. What about those BJP workers who have toiled tirelessly for the party," she asked.