16 February,2024 10:04 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Milind Deora. File Pic/X
Former Lok Sabha MP Milind Deora on Friday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena were democratic parties while the Congress was not, reported the PTI.
Milind Deora, who recently quit the Congress and joined the Shiv Sena, was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Eknath Shinde-led party's convention in Kolhapur.
"In my speech, I said CM Shinde is living testimony of hard work paying. I am very happy that I joined the Shiv Sena, where a common party worker can dream of getting big posts," he said, according to the PTI.
Milind Deora, who is the Sena's Rajya Sabha candidate from Maharashtra, further said, "Both the BJP and Shiv Sena are democratic parties."
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Queried about differences in the Congress and Sena, he said, "There is a difference in ideology. As far as democracy is concerned, there is a huge difference. Shiv Sena is a democratic party. Congress is not a democratic party. I am happy I got an opportunity to work in a party which is democratic."
Milind Deora claimed he had advised the Congress against being part of the MVA government since it was an "opportunistic alliance for power".
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress are in dire straits because the two parties were opportunistic, Deora claimed.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was formed after the then undivided Shiv Sena broke its alliance with the BJP and joined hands with the Congress and NCP post 2019 Assembly polls.
After joining the CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena, in a post on social media platform X, 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."
Deora, who was recently appointed the joint treasurer of the All India Congress Committee, had expressed disapproval at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat.
(with PTI inputs)
