Maharashtra Elections 2024: The Ajit Pawar faction of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has fielded former Congress leader Zeeshan Siddique from the Vandre East seat in Mumbai.
Zeeshan Siddique, who won the seat in 2019 on Congress ticket, was expelled from the grand old party in August this year. He joined the NCP on Fridant morning, hours before his name featured in the party's candidate list.
Zeeshan Siddique will take on Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Varun Sardesai from the seat he won in 2019. Sardesai is Aaditya Thackeray's cousin. Aaditya is contesting from Worli seat.
Zeeshan's father Baba Siddique, who also switched from Congress to NCP, was shot dead by gangsters outside his office two weeks ago. While Baba Siddique had joined the NCP in February, his son Zeeshan had not officially joined the party. He was however seen sharing stage with Ajit Pawar.
The 288-member Maharashtra assemblly will vote in single phase on November 20. The results will be announced on November 23.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), is fighting against the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
Zeeshan hit out at Congress party on Wednesday after Maha Vikas Aghadi did not field him from Vandre East seat also known as Bandra East. “It was never their nature to follow friendship…now the people will decide,” Zeeshan said in a post on X.
Zeeshan won the Vandre East seat in 2019 as a Congress candidate defeating undivided Shiv Sena candidate Vishwanath Mahadeshwar.
Before 2019, the seat has been a Shiv Sena stronghold. Trupti Prakash Sawant won it in 2015 bypolls. Trupti is now a BJP leader. Late Prakash Sawant, also known as Bala Sawant, won the seat in 2014 and 2009 on Shiv Sena ticket.
