Pictures: Leaders Who Quit Congress Since 2019 Under Rahul Gandhi's Watch

By: Rahul M | January 14, 2024

Senior Congress leader Milind Deora quit the party on Sunday. He's reportedly set to join Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.

This, however, is not the first instance of senior leader quitting party under Rahul Gandhi's watch. Several senior leaders have left Congress since 2019.

In My 2022, former Union Minister Kapil Sibal resigned from the Congress. He was nominated to Rajya Sabha as independent with support of Samajwadi Party.

ANI

Ghulm Nabi Azad's resignation in 2022 was the biggest blow to Congress. The former J&K CM even called Rahul Gandhi as "immature" in his resignation letter. He went on to float his own party.

-

Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel resigned from Congress in May 2022, citing a lack of focus among top leaders and accusing them of being more interested in "chicken sandwiches." He joined the BJP later.

PTI

Sunil Jakhar, former head of the Punjab Congress, left the party in 2022 following a showcause notice from the leadership due to his criticism of then Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. In May, he joined the BJP and was appointed as its Punjab unit chief.

Ex-Union minister RPN Singh left Congress for BJP in January 2022, becoming a prominent leader to switch before Uttar Pradesh elections. Singh, a significant backward caste figure, was reportedly displeased with being sidelined in the UP campaign led by Priyanka Gandhi.

PTI

Current Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia left the Congress for the BJP in 2020, orchestrating a mass defection that led to the downfall of the Kamal Nath government and the return of Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh.

PTI

Jitin Prasada, once close to Rahul Gandhi, joined the BJP in 2021, a year before UP elections, emphasising the BJP as the only true national party.

Wikimedia Commons

Former Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor left the party in July 2019 for voting against its candidate in Rajya Sabha bypolls. Days later, he joined the BJP.

Congress veteran AK Antony's son, Anil Antony, left the party in January last year and joined the BJP the following month. He commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his clear vision to position India as a leader.