A big drama unfolded in Maharashtra over the candidature of Nawab Malik, the former minister of Maharashtra and leader of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP. Initially, Malik filled two nomination forms, one as an independent candidate and the other as an NCP candidate, before he submitted his nomination as an NCP candidate at 2.55 pm. However, his candidature has provoked a backlash from ally BJP, which has strongly denied campaigning for “people linked to Dawood Ibrahim”.
Malik, the sitting MLA from Anushakti Nagar, has left the constituency for his daughter Sana, who is making her election debut as an NCP candidate. He will contest from Mankhod-Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency in Mumbai.
“Earlier, I had filed the form as an independent candidate, but the party sent the AB form and we submitted it at 2.55 pm,” Malik was quoted as saying by the news agency. Told about ANI.
“I would like to thank Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Titkre. A large number of voters will definitely support me… I am very confident that this time we will win the Mankhod-Shivajinagar constituency,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar made it clear that the BJP will not campaign for Nawab Malik. He said that all the parties involved in Mahawati alliance have to choose their candidates.
“However, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders in the BJP have clarified the BJP's stand on Nawab Malik's nomination from the NCP,” he said. “Our position is not to promote gangster Dawood Ibrahim and the person related to Dawood's case.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray nominated Nawab Malik and said, “Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said that he will not meet Dawood Ibrahim's associate. He cannot sit next to someone who has ties to Dawood.” Be related.”
“But what happened to Iqbal Mirchi? What happened to Dawood's partner? When he said all this, he did it all for his own selfishness. He didn't want to go to jail, so he shifted to Gujarat. Gone,” he said. It was reported with reference to the news agency. ANI.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called the BJP a “party of hypocrisy” following Shelar's statement that the party would not campaign for Nawab Malik.
He said in a post on X, “Hahahaha! Says Ashish Shelar: BJP won't campaign for Nawab Malik but won't oppose his candidature either. Party of hypocrisy and lies!”
The Mankhard-Shivajinagar seat has historically been held by Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi, who is currently in talks with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance to win at least five seats for his party. . They have even threatened to field 25 candidates across Maharashtra if their demand is not met.