Milind Deora's Tweet Lauding AAP Prompts Scathing Reply From Ajay Maken, Debate Continues

Two senior Congress leaders -- Milind Deora and Ajay Maken -- on Sunday locked horns on Twitter, hours after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal was sworn in as the Delhi chief minister for the third time.

Deora, the former Mumbai Congress chief, shared a "lesser-known & welcome fact" about the AAP-led Delhi government, triggering a critical response from Maken. 

"The @ArvindKejriwal-led Delhi Government doubled its revenues to ₹60,000 crore & maintained a revenue surplus over the last 5 years.

"Food for thought: Delhi is now one of India’s most fiscally prudent governments," he wrote.

Responding to Deora's tweet, Ajay Maken, a former minister, took Deora to task for what he said were the "half-baked facts!"

Sharing his own numbers, Maken wrote: "Brother, you want to leave @INCIndia-Please do-Then propagate half baked facts!

Brother,you want to leave @INCIndia-Please do-Then propagate half baked facts!

However,let me share even lesser know facts-
1997-98-BE (Revenue) 4,073cr
2013-14-BE (Revenue) 37,459cr
During Congress Govt Grew at 14.87% CAGR

2015-16 BE 41,129
2019-20 BE 60,000
AAP Gov 9.90% CAGR

— à¤Â…à¤Âœà¤¯ माà¤Â•à¤¨ (@ajaymaken) February 16, 2020

On Monday morning. Deora quote-tweeted Maken and criticised his approach during the recently concluded Delhi Assembly polls, 

"Brother, I would never undermine Sheila Dikshit’s stellar performance as Delhi CM. That’s your specialty.

"But it’s never too late to change!

"Instead of advocating an alliance with AAP, if only you had highlighted Sheila ji’s achievements,  @INCIndia would’ve been in power today," he wrote. 

This is not the first time when Deora has been at variance with his party or a fellow leader. The former MP had been at loggerheads with Sanjay Nirupam, another senior Congress leader from Mumbai, first during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and then in the assembly polls.

In August, when the Centre abolished Article 370, Deora was one of a handful of Congress leaders who supported the decision.

"Abolishing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution could well be dubbed Modi Sarkar 2.0's demonetisation moment," he had tweeted.

"For the sake of peace and development in Jammu & Kashmir, I hope this decision plays out more favourably than demonetisation did," Deora had said.

Interestingly, Deora's Twitter bio doesn't mention his party name anymore.