Senior Maharashtra leader Milind Deora, who recently joined Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, revealed the reason for leaving the grand old party on Sunday. He said that Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena had not given importance to constructive, positive suggestions along with merit and capability.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, he said, "I have been receiving a lot of phone calls since morning that why did I sever 55-year-old ties of my family with Congress party. I was loyal to the party during its most challenging decade."
"Unfortunately, today's Congress is very different from the Congress of 1968 as well as that of 2004. Had Congress and UBT given importance to constructive and positive suggestions and merit and capability, Eknath Shinde and I wouldn't have been here," he said. "This is a very emotional day for me. I had never thought that I would quit Congress. Today, I joined Shiv Sena," he further said.
'Congress abuses industrialists': Deora's attack on Rahul Gandhi
Milind Deora launched a veiled attack on Congress leadership after joining Shiv Sena, saying his parent party is not the same as it used to be when Manmohan Singh had launched economic reforms but it is now abusing industrialists, businessmen and calling them anti-nationals.
Addressing a gathering at Varsha, the official residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deora said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have a vision for developing the country. He also hailed Shinde as the "most accessible" chief minister.
Deora, a former Union minister, said, "When Manmohan Singh was the finance minister 30 years ago, the Congress party ushered in economic reforms, but now it is abusing industrialists and businessmen, and calling them anti-nationals".
Earlier, Deora joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Sunday in the presence of Maharashtra CM and other senior leaders.
Jairam Ramesh reacts to Deora's resignation
Reacting to Deora's resignation, Congres leader Jairam Ramesh recalled the long years of association with his father Murli Deora and said that he was a stalwart Congressman who always stood by the Congress party — through thick and thin.
"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!" Jairam Ramesh said in X post.
ALSO READ | Murli Deora always stood by Congress through thick and thin: Party takes dig at Milind Deora's exit
ALSO READ | Milind Deora joins Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena after resigning from Congress
