Milind Deora interview: ‘Willing to contest from Mumbai South, Congress being squeezed by Uddhav Sena’

Deora also said the Congress was being pushed to the corner by its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Shiv Sena (UBT) in Maharashtra.

Q: Are you willing to contest the Lok Sabha polls?

Milind Deora: I would be happy to contest the Lok Sabha elections if the Mahayuti (ruling alliance ) wants me to contest. It will be an honour for me to fight from here (Mumbai South) again and be given an opportunity to represent the seat in Lok Sabha. If the alliance feels that I am the right person for the job and to help them win this seat, then I won’t say no.”

Q. What is the importance of South Mumbai for you and the Deora family?

Milind Deora: My family has been representing South Mumbai for several decades and we have never switched constituencies, even during times of political waves or losses. We have continuously worked here and have a deep understanding of the issues faced by our constituents, as well as the solutions required to address them. South Mumbai is not an alien constituency to me, and I will always work towards its betterment.”

Q. Why did you quit the Congress?

Milind Deora: Multiple factors influenced my decision, but the major factor was that the party chose to surrender to Shiv Sena (UBT) in the seat-sharing arrangement. This resulted in them giving away seats that could have been contested by Congress members. Sena (UBT)’s actions have frustrated several state congress leaders, leading to many Congress leaders quitting the party.

Q. Don’t you think Uddhav Sena has outnumbered Shinde Sena in terms of the number of seats contested in Maharashtra?

Milind Deora: Uddhav Thackeray is contesting 21 seats in the MVA alliance at the cost of the Congress and that has created a lot of problems and frustration in the Congress. Uddhav Thackeray has certainly pushed Congress to a wall and is taking advantage of the party. I know how it feels. Because I felt it four months ago (when he quit the Congress). He is contesting on more seats but voters will tell which Sena will win.

Q: Do you think the Congress could have negotiated better?

Milind Deora: There was an opportunity for the party to assert itself because the Sena UBT and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) are not the parties which existed earlier. The seat sharing in the MVA was not very encouraging. My view was just that the Congress should have been more aggressive and assertive.

The Congress should have been the bigger party in the MVA because the other two parties had lost a lot of ground, but it was No. 3 in the alliance. Many people still believe that the Congress should have been more aggressive and assertive.

Q. Didn’t you try to avert such situations for the Congress?

Milind Deora: I tried to suggest a course correction but at one point, I just gave up. I thought the Congress was surrendering to a party and was not willing to fight for seats where they have people to contest. The Congress is being squeezed in Maharashtra.