"Congress Suffocating And Toxic, Wish Them Well": Milind Deora To NDTV

Former Union Minister Milind Deora, who crossed over to Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena from the Congress today, has told NDTV that "Congress's politics felt suffocating and toxic" and that he wished them well. The 47 year old, who was among the party's disgruntled section, slammed the party earlier today as well, saying it had changed greatly since his father joined it in 1968.

As an example, he said the party had resorted to name calling and personal attacks on industrialists and businessmen."The same party that ushered in economic reforms 30 years ago, is a party that is abusing industrialists, businessmen and calling businessmen 'anti nationals'," he had said.

In an exclusive interview to NDTV, he expanded on it. "My father told me to speak well on Day One of politics… It is about working with people,"he said.. Promoted Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who brought the 1991 reforms, "never named industrialists and attacked them," Mr Deora said.

"He (Manmohan Singh) questioned institutions. Theb Congress is personally attacking businessmen. It is very sad that once a great party has gone down to a level of calling people names and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi names. I've never made such statements in my 20 years of politics," he added..