‘Removal of Milind Deora as city Congress president is appropriate’: Sanjay Nirupam

This has brought the infighting within the Mumbai unit to the fore once again. Deora and Nirupam, who was his predecessor before he stepped down, do not share a good rapport and are known to have differences.

A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi accepted Milind Deora’s resignation and appointed Eknath Gaikwad as the acting president of the party’s Mumbai unit, Sanjay Nirupam targeted Deora alleging that he failed to “energise” the cadre.

A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi accepted Milind Deora’s resignation and appointed Eknath Gaikwad as the acting president of the party’s Mumbai unit, Sanjay Nirupam targeted Deora alleging that he failed to “energise” the cadre. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

“Removal of Milind Deora as MRCC President is an appropriate decision taken by Congress because he was not able to perform and energise the cadre. Assembly elections are just 40 days away. The acting president must take everyone into confidence to give the Shiv Sena and BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] a respectable fight,” Nirupam tweeted and tagged senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

This has brought the infighting within the Mumbai unit to the fore once again. Deora and Nirupam, who was his predecessor before he stepped down, do not share a good rapport and are known to have differences.

Deora, who was appointed the Mumbai Congress chief before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections had expressed his desire to quit from the post in July. Factionalism has been ailing the city unit of the party for many years.

Reports also suggest that Mumbai Congress factions worked against party candidates in the Lok Sabha elections held in April 2019. With the state Assembly elections around the corner, the infighting could hurt the party’s chances in the elections.

Deora was not available for a comment.

But a close aide of the leader said, “He [Deora] did not want to react to the remarks. His opinion is that if you throw a rock in the muck, the muck will fall on you.”

On Friday, Deora said he was happy that his “pending” resignation had been accepted and he was grateful to the Congress for allowing him to serve Mumbai.