In a candid admission of dissension within the Mumbai Congress, Milind Deora, Congress leader and former Union Minister, said on Tuesday that “infighting” was threatening “our base in Mumbai” and that the city party unit “cannot become a cricket pitch for sectarian politics, with leaders pitted against one other”.
A day after he said he might even re-consider “if it is worth fighting elections or not”, Deora said he was “disappointed” with “infighting” within the Mumbai Congress and indirectly blamed city party unit president Sanjay Nirupam for contributing to “sectarian politics” within the party set up.
In a series of tweets put on the sorry state of affairs within the Mumbai, Deora said: “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”.
“@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.,” Deora tweeted. Deora, who has written to Rahul Gandhi that he was re-considering whether or not to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in view of the lack of efforts to bring the people together, said: “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”
Informed sources in the Congress said that Deora’s tweets are a clear indication of his strained relations with Nirupam, who is not involving the old timers in the party in running the city unit. Nirupam is understood to be one of reasons for former Congress MP Priya Dutt’s recent decision to quit electoral politics.
Deora, who is the son of long-time Mumbai Congress late Murli Deora, had said in a television interview on Monday: “If feel sometimes what is happening in Mumbai (Congress). One of the reasons I may even reconsider if it is worth fighting the elections or not. It is because of what is happening in Mumbai and because of what is happening between the leaders. I have communicated this to Mr Gandhi as well recently that if we are unable to bring people together, even I may not be in politics”
