Milind Deora family's 5-decade association with Congress: Explained
What's the story
Congress leader Milind Deora on Sunday announced his resignation from the primary membership of the party. This is seen as a setback for the Congress in Maharashtra as it ended his family's five-decade relationship with the party. Son of Congress veteran Murli Deora, the 47-year-old is set to join Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena along with 400 of his supporters.
Statement
Deora announced his resignation on X
Announcing his resignation on X, Deora wrote, "Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey." According to reports, Deora was probably upset over the Congress ally Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat, where he and his father had served as MPs.
Details
Deora family's long ties with Congress
The joint stint of the father-son duo spans at least 55 years in the Congress. Senior Deora worked his way up from being a member of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to becoming a cabinet minister. He was a former mayor of Mumbai between 1977 and 1978 and later went on to become the chief of Congress's unit in the metropolis for two decades.
Murli Deora
Senior Deora was Rajiv Gandhi's close confidant
Senior Deora was also a close friend of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and he once organized a roadshow for him in 1991. Industrialist-social worker-turned-politician, he was best known for introducing the grand old party in Maharashtra. He won four Lok Sabha elections and joined the Rajya Sabha in 2004. He later became the Union Petroleum Minister in then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Cabinet.
Background
Junior Deora's illustrious career under Congress
Similarly, junior Deora also had an illustrious stint with the Congress. He was elected as one of the youngest MPs in the 14th Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket. He was the Union Minister of State for Communication and Information Technology between 2011 and 2014. In 2012, he was given an additional responsibility as junior Union Minister of Shipping.
Study
Milind served in several other positions
Apart from his ministerial position, Milind served on several expert committees. A Boston University graduate in business administration, he was a member of the Standing Committee on Defense along with the Consultative Committee on Defense and Urban Development. Notably, Milind graduated from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics in Maharashtra before joining Boston University's Questrom School of Business in the United States.
Important development
Deora to join Shinde-led Shiv Sena
Ex-Mumbai Congress chief Deora might join Shinde's Shiv Sena, per ANI. Ten former municipal corporators, 25 senior party functionaries, 20 top trader and merchant unions, and 400 Congress workers will also join the Sena later on Sunday at the CM's residence. Earlier, Deora dismissed speculations of him joining the party, saying, "I'm listening to my supporters. I haven't taken a decision yet."