With its senior leader Milind Deora resigning just before the start of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress on January 14 alleged that the timing of the announcement of his departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told PTI that Mr. Deora had spoken with him over phone this Friday and requested that he wanted to speak with Rahul Gandhi over his concerns over the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat. Both Milind Deora and his father Murli Deora had served as MPs from Mumbai South.
“He messaged me on Friday at 8:52 AM and then at 2:47 PM I replied, ‘Are you planning a switch?’. At 2:48 he sent a message, ‘is speaking to you not possible?’ I said I will call you and at 3:40, I spoke to him,” Mr. Ramesh said.
