The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi over Milind Deora’s resignation from Congress, saying he should first do justice to his party leaders before taking out ‘nyay yatra’.

Deora, a former union minister, announced his resignation from the primary membership of Congress, ending his family’s decades-old relationship with the party.

“Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey. I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of Congress, ending my family’s 55-year relationship with the party,” Deora said in a social media post.

“I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues & karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years.”

BJP IT cell Amit Malviya in a social media post said, “Rahul Gandhi should first do nyay (justice) to his party leaders. Nyay Yatra later.”

Deora’s resignation comes amid intense speculation that he would join the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde.

He recently expressed his displeasure over the Shiv Sena (UBT) publicly staking claim on the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency as an alliance partner of the Congress-led INDIA bloc. Deora said if such statements by an “alliance partner” don’t stop, his party too can announce candidates for seats.

Deora, son of Congress veteran Murli Deora, had won the Mumbai South seat in 2004 and 2009. He lost the subsequent Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019 against Shiv Sena (Undivided) leader Arvind Sawant.

Shortly after Deora’s resignation, Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, said, “I recall my long years of association with MURLI Deora with great fondness. He had close friends in all political parties, but was a stalwart Congressman who ALWAYS stood by the Congress party — through thick and thin. Tathastu!”

Deora’s father, Murli Deora, was a veteran Congress leader who held various ministerial positions in the central government. Before venturing into national politics, Murli Deora also served as the Mayor of Mumbai in the 1970s.