Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said that his party workers will not campaign for Nawab Malik and their stand is clear about the people connected to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim
In a last-minute decision on Tuesday, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik received the party’s AB form, allowing him to officially contest next month’s Maharashtra assembly election from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency.
Malik, a prominent figure in the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, will now go head-to-head against Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi in a highly anticipated electoral battle. Malik’s AB form submission took place just five minutes before the nomination deadline, marking a dramatic turn in his election journey.
Malik earlier had filed his nomination as an independent candidate, but following instructions from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, he added the AB form to his candidacy at 2.55 pm. “With the AB form, I am now the official NCP candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar,” Malik confirmed. This step cements his candidacy and places him directly in the Mahayuti race, despite considerable resistance from rival political parties.
All the assembly seats in Maharashtra will go to the polls on November 20 and the counting of votes will be held on November 23.
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How BJP Reacted
Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said that his party workers will not campaign for Nawab Malik and their stand is clear about the people connected to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
“BJP’s stand on this issue is very clear. We are of the view that all the partners in Mahayuti have the right to declare their own candidates, whoever they want to, but here the question is about NCP’s authorised candidate Nawab Malik who has been given a ticket. Time and again, we have made our stand clear about Dawood Ibrahim and the people connected with him. This has been already said by Devendra Fadnavis, and now I am also saying the same. So, there is no question of us campaigning for Nawab Malik. Now remains the question of supporting Sana Malik because she is also a candidate of Mahatyuti. We are of the view that there is nothing against someone, then it should be like that and each Mahayuti candidate is a candidate of BJP,” he said.
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya also objected to Malik’s Candidature and said Shiv Sena’s Suresh Krishna Patil is the ‘official’ candidate of ‘Mahayuti’.
“Mahayuti ( Shivsena) official candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar is Bullet Patil. We will fight to defeat candidates supporting Vote Jihad, Terrorism,” he posted on X.
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What Opp Is Saying
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that ‘Dawood aide’, apparently referring to Malik, is now “BFF( best friends forever) with Shelar and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.
“‘Dawood aide’ Is now BFF with Ashish Shelar and Devendra Fadnavis, the ‘Dawood buddy’ is now fighting in the alliance led by the BJP, officially.
Patriotism ke certificate baantne waale kahaan hain aaj?” she posted on X.
On NCP (Ajit Pawar) fielding Nawab Malik from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said, “Eknath Shinde should answer this. He could not meet Dawood’s partner. He could not sit beside anyone who had any connection with Dawood. Then what became of Iqbal Mirchi? What happened to Dawood’s partner?… When he had said all that, he did it only for his own selfishness. He did not want to go to jail, so he switched and ran off to Gujarat.”
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Who Is Nawab Malik?
Malik was a minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government and was arrested in 2022 by the National Investigation Agency in a case against fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his associates, including Chhota Shakeel and Tiger Memon. Malik was granted bail on medical grounds in July this year. He sided with Ajit Pawar’s faction after the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party split.
The BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had strongly opposed Malik’s nomination, even reportedly pressuring ally NCP to refrain from fielding him. In fact, the NCP initially kept Malik’s AB form status under wraps, creating significant suspense around his candidacy. It was only after Malik received clear approval from the party leadership that he added the AB form to his nomination papers, formally securing his place as the NCP’s candidate.
When Nawab Malik got bail on medical condition and joined the assembly session by sitting with NCP leaders, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had written a letter to Ajit Pawar expressing his objection to accepting Malik in the Mahayuti when he was facing serious allegations.
Malik’s candidacy poses a unique challenge for the Mahayuti’s supporters, particularly the BJP and Shiv Sena members, who have previously criticised him on several fronts. With his candidacy finalised, these same critics may now face the prospect of campaigning in support of Malik as the official Mahayuti candidate. Given the public accusations and protests they previously launched against him, backing Malik on the campaign trail could prove difficult for certain alliance members.
In the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency, Malik’s primary opponent, Abu Azmi, holds the Samajwadi Party ticket and represents the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. While the MVA had allocated the seat to the Samajwadi Party, the Mahayuti designated it for NCP, setting up a direct contest between two high-profile contenders. The Malik-Azmi rivalry is likely to draw considerable attention, as both leaders have strong bases and considerable political experience in the region.
Malik’s entry into the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar race signifies a shift from his previous constituency, Anushakti Nagar, where he served as a member of the legislative assembly. Malik decided to forgo contesting from Anushakti Nagar himself, instead supporting his daughter Sana Malik, who will stand in his stead. This move reflects his strategic focus on building a political legacy while expanding his influence into a new constituency.
The NCP’s decision to support Malik, despite objections from Mahayuti partners, underscores the complexities within the alliance as they balance competing interests and candidates. As the campaign progresses, Malik’s presence on the Mahayuti ticket may put the alliance’s cohesion to the test, particularly in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar.
