New Delhi/IBNS: Senior politician Milind Deora resigned from the Congress party and is set to join the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde later on Sunday.

"I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of Congress, ending my family's 55-year relationship with the party," he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues & karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years," he said.

Deora, son of Congress veteran Murli Deora, had won the Mumbai South seat in 2004 and 2009. He ended up as the first runner-up in the subsequent elections in 2014 and 2019 against Shiv Sena (undivided) leader Arvind Sawant.

Recently, he had expressed displeasure over the Uddhav Thackeray faction winning the Mumbai South seat. The Uddhav Thackeray-led group, Shiv Sena (UBT) is a part of the opposition alliance in Maharashtra.

In a video statement issued last Sunday, Deora said that if such statements by an “alliance partner” don't stop, his party too can announce candidates for seats.

He decided to resign from Congress after discussions with his supporters.