Thackeray, Gandhi were to finalise Deora’s LS seat, but he had made up his mind: Chennithala

Chennithala said that Deora will not get support from any leader within Mumbai Congress. “I am in touch with all leaders and MLAs of the party.

MP Milind Deora. (Express Photo)

A day after the resignation of former Lok Sabha MP Milind Deora from the Congress, allegedly for denying him a ticket from Mumbai South constituency, the party on Monday clarified that seat sharing distribution in Mumbai had not been not finalised which was conveyed to Deora.

Ramesh Chennithala, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Maharashtra, told The Indian Express that he had personally spoken to Deora. “I had specifically told him that the seat sharing formula for Mumbai was not final and he should not make any wrong decision in haste. He was also told that Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi were to have a special discussion on the Mumbai South seat before finalising the candidate. He did not wait because it seemed he had made his decision much earlier. And this is only an excuse he is giving now,” said Chennithala.

Chennithala said that Deora will not get support from any leader within Mumbai Congress. “I am in touch with all leaders and MLAs of the party. Nobody is going to follow Deora,” he said, adding that it was the Congress which raised him to the stature of Union minister and even handed him important responsibilities like the joint-treasurer of AICC. “He should not blame the party for a decision he had already taken,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) on Monday suspended 23 members from the party on grounds of anti-party activities after Milind Deora’s exit on Sunday. MRCC President–MLA Varsha Gaikwad ordered the suspension. All through Monday, Gaikwad conducted meetings with office bearers from South Mumbai in the Mumbai Congress office. Senior Congress leaders such as MLA Amin Patel, Bhawarsinh Rajpurohit, former Leader of Opposition in BMC Dnyanraj Nikam, Kishan Jadhav, Ashfaq Siddiqui, Puran Doshi and others were present.

“People who are loyal to the party and ideology succeed. Unfortunately, Milind ji parted ways with the party and the ideology. However, one person leaving does not weaken the party or its ideology. On the contrary, it has given me and many workers the strength to toil harder,” said Gaikwad.

The 23 people suspended by Mumbai Congress include South Mumbai District President Pramod Mandrekar, former corporators Sushiben Shah, Sunil Narsale, Rambachan Murari, Hansa Maru, former corporators Anita Yadav, South Mumbai Congress Working President Ramesh Yadav, Mumbai Congress General Secretary Prakash Raut, and Advocate Trimbak Tiwari among others.

Alok Deshpande

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
mumbai news