Opposition to BJP doesn’t mean that Congress is relegated to third position in Mumbai: Milind Deora

MUMBAI: Suggesting that the Congress must field a candidate for next month’s Andheri (East) by-elections instead of giving up the seat for the Shiv Sena, former Congress MP Milind Deora on Tuesday said that opposition to the BJP doesn’t mean that Congress is relegated to third position in Mumbai. Deora said that just like the Andheri (East) by-election was a litmus test for both Senas, it was also a litmus test for the Congress.
Deora who has taken on the Shiv Sena over corruption in the BMC and the redrawing of ward boundaries for the BMC polls, said the Congress must aspire to become the principal opposition to BJP in the centre and state and to the Shiv Sena in BMC.
“Just like the Andheri (East) by-election is a litmus test for both Senas, it is also a litmus test for the Congress. We have seen what has happened in other states when Congress relinquishes the opposition space to like-minded allies. If there is an alliance with Shiv Sena for Andheri (East), it must be on equal terms. The conditions must be specified in advance and there must be a clear give and take. Congress is no longer the principal opposition in the Maharashtra assembly. We must not allow the same to happen ahead of the BMC polls,” Deora told TOI.
Deora who joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his Bharat Jodo Yarta recently in Kerala said that he had discussed the issue with the party leaders.
“The Congress had formidable votes in the constituency and we had wrested this seat from Shiv Sena in the past. If we transfer our votes to Shiv Sena, it must be with certain terms and conditions.
I have discussed this with Suresh Shetty and several local leaders and will take it up with the interim party leadership. The Andheri (East) election will have a bearing on the BMC polls. Hence it is imperative that Congress plans to retain the post of Leader of Opposition in BMC ahead of the polls. Some Congress workers are open to an alliance while others are vehemently opposed. The former is possible only if it is done on equal terms. Otherwise it is not in Congress’s long-term interests,” Deora said.
When asked if the Congress was going to leave the Andheri (East) seat for the Sena, and if there will be a Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the BMC polls, Deora said, “This will be decided and made public soon. All options are open provided they are in accordance with coalition dharma. As far as the delimitation exercise was concerned, Shiv Sena acted unilaterally to hurt Congress’s prospects,” Deora said.
While former BMC Corporator Murji Patel is likely to be the BJP’s candidate for the by-poll, Shiv Sena had decided to field Rutuja Latke, the widow of former Sena MLA late Ramesh Latke for the by-polls. While the NCP has supported the Sena, the Congress is yet to take a decision.