With its senior leader Milind Deora resigning just before the start of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the timing of the announcement of his departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told PTI 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. 

Both Milind Deora and his father Murli Deora had served as MPs from Mumbai South.

"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.

"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," the Congress general secretary said.

"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 alleged. 

In a post on X, Ramesh recalled his long years of association with seven-time Congress MP Murli Deora with great fondness. 

"He (Murli Deora) had close friends in all political parties, but was a stalwart Congressman who ALWAYS stood by the Congress party through thick and thin. Tathastu!" he said.