Milind Deora quits as Mumbai Congress chief, hints at playing a national role to help 'stabilise party'

Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora on Sunday announced his resignation from the post and said he looks forward to playing a role at the national level to help stabilise the party. Deora had expressed his desire to quit shortly after meeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on 26 June. “The same has been conveyed to All India Congress Committee general secretaries Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal,” he said in a statement.

Mumbai Congress President Milind Deora tenders his resignation from his post. He has also proposed a three member panel to lead Mumbai Congress for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/aPmfaF1LCt

— ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2019

The statement issued by his office on Sunday said taking on the BJP-Shiv Sena and negating the impact of Vanchit Aghadi is a challenge for the Congress in Maharashtra. Deora said that political realities have changed since the Lok Sabha results. “We all will have to get ready for roles that these times demand,” he said. “I have suggested a three-member panel (to oversee the city party unit) and am being consulted by leaders to identify names. I look forward to playing a national role to help stabilise the party. Needless to say, I will continue to guide and unite the Mumbai Congress,” he said. Deora was appointed the president of the Mumbai Congress a month before the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year. He contested the Lok Sabha poll from Mumbai-South constituency but lost to Shiv Sena candidate Arvind Sawant. “I had accepted MRCC presidentship in the interest of uniting the party. I felt I should also resign after meeting Rahul Gandhi,” he said. Gandhi resigned as Congress president at a CWC meeting on 25 May, two days after results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared. Deora’s resignation comes on the back of the resignations of 35 office bearers of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee on 29 June and that of Ashok Chavan, who quit as the president of the Maharashtra unit  after the defeat of the party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. With inputs from PTI.