The BJP refers to it as people abandoning a “sinking ship,” while the Congress asserts that leaders fearing the saffron party are welcome to leave, perpetuating the cycle of prominent leaders quitting the grand old party.

From stalwarts like Kapil Sibal and Ghulam Nabi Azad to young guns like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jitin Prasada, several high-profile leaders have severed ties with the Congress in recent years.

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The latest addition to the list is former Union Minister and senior Maharashtra leader Milind Deora, once a prominent member of Team Rahul Gandhi.

The son of the Congress stalwart late Murli Deora, Milind Deora announced his resignation from the Congress on Sunday in a social media post, marking the end of his family’s 55-year association with the party.

Deora expressed gratitude to leaders, colleagues, and karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years. He is expected to join the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena.

The trend continues:

1. Kapil Sibal: The former Union Minister, once one of the Congress’s most prominent leaders, ended his decades-long association with the party on May 16, 2022. He made the announcement six days after his resignation and filed his Rajya Sabha nomination as an independent, supported by the Samajwadi Party.
2. Ghulam Nabi Azad: His resignation marked one of the biggest exits from the saffron party. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir reportedly grew upset over the overall functioning of the Congress. Azad formed his own political outfit – Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Progressive Azad Party.
3. Jyotiraditya Scindia: Once close to Rahul Gandhi, Scindia not only resigned from the Congress but also engineered a rebellion against the Madhya Pradesh government. He joined the BJP and was soon rewarded with a Union minister’s post.
4. Hardik Patel: Brought into the Congress fold by Rahul Gandhi in 2019, the Gujarat leader resigned from the party in 2022 and joined the BJP.
5. Ashwani Kumar: The former Union Minister quit the Congress in February 2022, just days before the assembly elections in Punjab.
6. Sunil Jakhar: A senior Congress leader from Punjab, Jakhar quit the party in 2022, joining the BJP and currently serving as the Punjab chief of the saffron party.
7. RPN Singh: Another member of Team Rahul Gandhi, Singh left the Congress to join hands with the BJP in 2022, reportedly upset over being sidelined by the Congress party.
8. Jitin Prasada: A close associate of Rahul Gandhi, Prasada quit the Congress in 2022 and joined the BJP.
9. Anil Antony: His resignation even surprised his father, Congress veteran AK Antony, who was caught unaware of his son’s sudden switch to the BJP.
10. Sushmita Dev: The president of Congress party’s women’s wing, Dev quit the grand old party in August 2021 and joined the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC.