As Milind Deora submitted his resignation from the Congress, the Congress has alleged that the timing of the announcement of his departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

       "Prime Minister has decided this, there is no doubt about it," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.

       While speaking to news agency ANI, Jairam Ramesh also remembered Milind's father, Murli Deora and highlighted his leadership and strong association with the Congress party. He said, "He (Murli Deora, father of Milind Deora) was a big leader of our party and he had a friendship with all parties but he was a stalwart Congressman. I remember him today."

       Jairam Ramesh also spoke with news agency PTI and said that Deora had spoken with him over phone this Friday and requested that he wanted to speak with Rahul Gandhi over his concerns over the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat.

       “He messaged me on Friday at 8:52 AM and then at 2:47 PM I replied, ‘Are you planning a switch?’. At 2:48 he sent a message, ‘is speaking to you not possible?’ I said I will call you and at 3:40, I spoke to him," Ramesh said as quoted by PTI.

       “He (Deora) said he is concerned that it is a sitting Shiv Sena seat, he wanted to meet Rahul Gandhi and explain to him about the seat and also wanted me to talk to Mr. Gandhi about it," PTI reported quoting the Congress general secretary.

       “Obviously all this was a farce and he had made up his mind to leave. The timing of the announcement of his departure was clearly determined by the PM," Ramesh further alleged.

       Reacting on Deora joining the Eknath Shinde faction, Party leader Sandeep Dikshit said, "...I will be surprised if someone like him, after leaving Congress would join an alliance party of the BJP...There are two big weaknesses in humans and those are greed and fear..."

       Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also reacted on Deora's resignation. He said, "What can I say? If someone wishes to leave the party, they can. I met him last time in Nagpur and had a good conversation with him..."

       Congress leader and Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad called Deora's decision unfortunate. She said, “...The Deora family has a different equation with the Congress family. Milind Deora's resignation from Congress' primary membership is unfortunate. Today I am very saddened personally and as a Congress worker... Murli Deora stood firmly with the party in all of its ups and downs... From today onwards the party is starting a historic Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and there is no greater misfortune than that they have taken this step on this very day..."