Maharashtra Elections: Ajit Pawar’s NCP fields Nawab Malik from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat despite BJP’s opposition

Maharashtra Elections: Ajit Pawa's NCP candidate Nawab Malik on Tuesday filed the nomination paper from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat in Mumbai for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled to be held on November 20, 2024.

Speaking to ANI, Malik said, “Today, I filed a nomination from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Vidhan Sabha constituency as NCP candidate. I had filed the form as an Independent candidate also. But the party has sent the AB form and we have submitted it at 2.55 pm and now I am official candidate of NCP. I am very thankful to Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare. They have confidence in me...A huge number of voters will definitely support me...I am very confident that this time we will win Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency.”

It is important to note that there were speculations as he would be contesting assembly election as an independent from the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar seat after the Mahayuti alliance partner BJP last week, October 20, opposed his candidature due to his alleged links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

BJP leader Ashish Shelar said his party is against the candidature of NCP leader Nawab Malik for the upcoming Assembly election.

“We will not accept giving a ticket to someone linked to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim,” the Mumbai BJP president said, adding that, “We won’t support Malik and will have a different stand.”

Malik was a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and was arrested in 2022 in a case first registered by the NIA against Dawood and his associates including Chhota Shakeel and Tigar Memon.

He was granted bail on medical grounds in July this year. After the NCP split, the faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar took the MLA into its fold, despite objections from ally BJP.

Maharashtra is gearing up for the upcoming Assembly elections on November 20 and today (October 29) is the final day for filing nominations.