Congress Slams Deora, Says Senior Party Leaders Attended Bhosle’s Funeral

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Congress on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora, accusing him of spreading “brazen lies” and showing “extreme ingratitude” towards the party.

The row erupted after Congress accused Mr. Deora of claiming that no senior Congress leader attended the funeral of legendary singer Asha Bhosle. Refuting the assertion, the party said senior leaders, including Sushilkumar Shinde, Naseem Khan and others, were present to pay their respects.

In a strongly worded statement, the Congress accused Deora of making “false statements” to appease his new political affiliations, adding that he had “crossed all limits of foolishness and ignorance” in trying to please his “new political masters”.

Notably, Deora did not name any party in his post on X. After attending the funeral on Sunday, he wrote, “Every political party ensured senior representation. One exception stood out, reflecting its disconnect from the nation’s cultural pulse.”

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) said several senior leaders — including former Union Home Minister Shinde, Naseem Khan, MP Praniti Shinde and other state functionaries — had personally attended the funeral. “This is our culture, our tradition, and our humanity,” the party said.

The Congress also reminded Deora of his family’s long association with the party, stating that it had given them “name, identity and access to power for decades”. “Targeting the very party that shaped his political career reflects the height of ingratitude. Mr. Deora should first see his face in the mirror. There is usually a limit to subservience, but Mr. Deora is currently making sincere efforts to set new records in shamelessness,” the party said.