Exclusive: Country needs a strong, constructive opposition to uphold democracy, says Milind Deora

Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora who earlier this year resigned from the Congress party and joined the Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena emphasised the necessity of a credible and robust opposition to uphold democratic values in the countryI have always hoped that if the Congress cannot come to power it can at least aspire to provide India with a constructive opposition Deora saidIn an exclusive interview with MidDay Milind Deora delved into the purpose behind his entry into politics his vision for India and the reasons behind his decision to resign from the Congress party which marked the most challenging choice of his career Milind the son of the late Congress leader Murli Deora severed his 55year association with the partyIn January this year Deora the former Lok Sabha MP from the Mumbai South constituency and former Mumbai Congress president announced his decision to join the Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena Shortly thereafter he was nominated by the party for the Rajya SabhalsquoCongress a weak oppositionrsquoSpeaking about the upcoming Lok Sabha elections Deora said Regardless of which party assumes power a robust and constructive opposition is imperative to hold the government accountable Its a fundamental aspect of democracy so the responsibility lies not only with the ruling party but also with the opposition Strengthening democracy requires active participation from both sidesBut with a weak and fragmented opposition democratic values will not endure Congress is one party that undoubtedly needs to reform itself to be capable of providing that opposition Deora addedThe higher purposeMilind Deora was elected to the Lok Sabha as one of its youngest members in 2004 He was reelected in the 2009 elections but lost to the thenundivided Shiv Senas Arvind Sawant in the 2014 polls Deora also served as the Minister of Communications and Information Technology and the Minister of Shipping under the UPA governmentI harbour no ill will towards the Congress but the question revolves around a higher purpose I remained steadfast with the party during its most challenging periods from 2014 to 2024 Politics isnt an easy vocation it demands time My allegiance and deeper connection ultimately rest with the people of Mumbai and India Deora addedDeora further elaborated saying ldquoMy higher purpose of serving the people has driven me for the last 20 years Congress certainly faces challenges as evidenced by its electoral prospects If you lose sight of your purpose it becomes suffocating Eventually you reach a glass ceiling and decide to move onrdquoldquoWe must move towards a system where there are strong checks and balances which help the country to move forward India has not had a strong opposition for the last 10 years but I am hoping that it will happen after June 2024rdquo he addedlsquoEknath Shinde a man with vision and ability to executersquoAmidst a period when numerous Congress leaders are transitioning to the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP speculations arose that Milind Deora might also join the BJP However his unexpected decision to join the ruling regional party Shiv Sena caught many by surpriseldquoEverybody has a different purpose for leaving and joining a particular party Over the last two years I observed that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde despite hailing from a humble background possesses a grand vision for Mumbai and Maharashtrardquo Deora saidSpeaking more about CM Eknath Shinde he said ldquoI was recently in Davos the World Economic Forum with him I witnessed his work ethic firsthand In just three months I am personally witnessing a transformation in Mumbai especially with infrastructure projects being executed at a record pace Projects like the Mumbai Metro Atal Setu and Coastal Road are particularly refreshing to merdquoCM Eknath Shinde is a man with vision mission and the ability to execute Deora added He recognised the abilities I possess which will complement and supplement Shiv Senas objectives I am working closely with CM Shinde whether its attracting more investments to Maharashtra or providing guidance to the government on infrastructure plans affordable housing and numerous other initiatives Deora saidldquoThis is what I like to do serve the public As I said I prefer constructive politics over namecallingrdquo Deora addedMilind Deora recently took oath as Rajya Sabha MP and has been actively involved in the Lok Sabha election campaign He was also part of the twoday Shiv Sena convention held in Kolhapur Maharashtra in February to prepare for the upcoming electionsThis is part one of the interview series of Milind Deora