Milind Deora on Sunday ditched the Congress and joined the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, who himself had scripted one of the most sensational stories of defection in India’s political history by betraying Uddhav Thackeray.

Soon after the political cuddle of defectors, Milind Deora, whose biggest claim to fame despite two terms as a member of Parliament from the posh South Mumbai seat is that he is the son of Congress leader Murli Deora, said he and Shinde would not have been “here” had their parties recognised their talent. While “here” was a coy reference to the defectors’ club, he lamented that Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi had not given importance to “constructive and positive suggestions, and merit and capability”.

Milind Deora didn’t explain whether “constructive and positive suggestions” as well as “merit and capability” had any link with ideological commitment and constitutionalism. Both he and Shinde ultimately chose to sit in the BJP’s lap to satiate their lust for power. At the comparatively young age of 47 years, the Congress had made Deora MP twice, a Union minister and Mumbai unit president by annoying many senior leaders.

The Congress central leadership, blissfully unaware of Milind Deora’s ideological vacillations, also appointed him joint treasurer in the reshuffle a few days ago. That decision too raised eyebrows in the party but he got his reward because he was supposed to be close to Rahul.

Milind Deora claimed that he remained with the Congress during the most challenging decade. “Congress was indulging in politics of PAIN — personal attacks, injustice and negativity. I believe in the politics of GAIN — Growth, Aspiration, Inclusivity and Nationalism,” he said. He took care to add that the Congress today was a very different party and its only goal was to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Although he didn’t join the BJP directly because of electoral compulsions, he gave a glimpse of his thinking by saying: “The same party (Congress) that used to offer constructive suggestions to this country, on how to take the country forward, has now just one goal — speak against whatever PM Modi says and does. Tomorrow, if he says that Congress is a very good party, they will oppose it.”

While Milind Deora, being a politician with strong corporate links, was not comfortable with Rahul’s blunt attacks on Ambani and Adani, the real reason for quitting the party was his apprehension of losing the South Mumbai seat which Uddhav Thackeray wanted for his sitting MP Arvind Sawant. Deora desperately tried to contact Rahul and get the seat reserved for himself but couldn’t get it done. He defected to the Shinde faction because the constituency has a significant Muslim vote and winning on a BJP ticket is not easy from there.

But Milind Deora’s exit was not analysed in terms of petty personal interest as the dominant sections of the media went berserk, recalling how young leaders deserted the party because of Rahul’s “lacklustre” leadership. They reeled off names like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, R.P.N. Singh without examining the ideological somersaults of these young leaders, apart from the inability to struggle in the Opposition.