The Mumbai Congress cannot become a cricket pitch for sectarian politics, with leaders pitted against one other, Congress MP and former Union minister under the UPA government Milind Deora said, blowing the lid off the intense infighting that has gripped the Congress in India’s financial capital Mumbai.
In a series of four tweets, Deora said that he does not intend or want to discuss his party’s affairs publicly, but called for Mumbai Congress leaders to stay true to the city’s social fabric and diversity. He urged them not to let “sectarian politics” get into the party, stop infighting and stay true to the ideologies of the Congress.
“I’m disappointed with what is happening – and the party is aware of my stance on fighting the Lok Sabha elections. However, I have full faith in our central leadership and its commitment to our party’s ideology and principles. Especially in Mumbai, where the Congress was born,” he said.
“@INCIndia is leading a powerful, united campaign across India. Infighting cannot, and should not, be allowed to threaten our base in Mumbai. I appeal to all Congress leaders in Mumbai to unite as a team. We owe this much to our party and to Congress President @RahulGandhi,” he wrote on Twitter.
In a city like Mumbai, which is our economic and cultural capital, we need to bring people together. The Mumbai Congress cannot become a cricket pitch for sectarian politics, with leaders pitted against one other.
— Milind Deora (@milinddeora) February 5, 2019
@INCIndia is leading a powerful, united campaign across India. Infighting cannot, and should not, be allowed to threaten our base in Mumbai. I appeal to all Congress leaders in Mumbai to unite as a team. We owe this much to our party and to Congress President @RahulGandhi.
— Milind Deora (@milinddeora) February 5, 2019
The series of tweets set off a buzz about the party being in trouble in Mumbai due to infighting and differences in opinion. However, later Milind Deora also said that he would request Sanjay Nirupam and other party leaders from the city to set aside the difference and work together for betterment. “Any organisation will have differences, but not infighting,” he added.
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Milind Deora, who is from the Mumbai South constituency and Priya Dutt, another Congress MP from Mumbai North West constituency, have long had differences with Sanjay Nirupam, the Mumbai Congress chief, who joined the party in 2005 after leaving Shiv Sena. A few weeks ago, ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Dutt also declared about her not contesting the elections this year, as she is struggling to maintain a balance in her life.
On Tuesday, he also told a news channel that he may not contest the Lok Sabha elections this year due to the state of affairs in the party’s city unit.
Milind Deora has also criticised Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his advisers in the past. Right after the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections when the grand old party was reduced to just 44 parliamentary seats, he said that the advisers and the people advised should also own up the defeat.
