Cong’s Deora, Maken and Lamba in War of Words For Praising AAP

Congress leader Milind Deora (left) and Congress leader Ajay Maken.

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

Congress leader Milind Deora took to Twitter on Sunday, 16 February, to congratulate second-term Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, inviting ire from his fellow Congress member Ajay Maken.

Deora’s open praise on Twitter included a video describing how the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government increased its revenue to Rs 60,000 crore while maintaining a revenue surplus.

‘Want to Leave Congress?’

Maken responded to the tweet asking Deora to "leave Congress" and only then propagate “half-baked facts.”

Congress leader Alka Lamba also hit out at Deora, quoting figures from when Congress ruled Karnataka and doubled its budget revenues from ₹1,15,000 cr in 2013 to ₹2,21,000 cr in 2018.

‘Thats Your Specialty’

Deora’s praise comes after the Congress party drew a blank for the second time in Delhi elections and its vote share plummeted to 4.26 percent from 9.7 percent in 2015.

On 12 February, Deora also criticised AICC Delhi in-charge PC Chacko after he sought to put the blame of the party's decline on late Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, saying the party started losing ground when she was at the helm in 2013.

"Sheila Dikshit ji was a remarkable politician and administrator. During her tenure as chief minister, Delhi was transformed and Congress was stronger than ever. Unfortunate to see her being blamed after her death. She dedicated her life to Congress and the people of Delhi,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)