Mumbai: Former Cabinet minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik officially filed his nomination for the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency on Tuesday. The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, has granted him the AB Form to contest the election, marking a significant challenge to the BJP, which had vocally opposed Malik’s candidacy.
The BJP has now clarified that it will not campaign for Malik but will instead support his daughter Sana, the NCP candidate from Anushakti Nagar.
With the uncertainty surrounding Malik’s candidacy resolved, a fierce contest is expected between him and Abu Azmi of the Samajwadi Party in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, an area with a significant Muslim population. It will be interesting to see how Malik attempts to penetrate Azmi’s stronghold, as Azmi is the sitting MLA for Mankhurd.
Malik, who was previously incarcerated due to alleged connections with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, is out on medical grounds. The BJP has distanced itself from him and also suggested that Ajit Pawar do the same.
However, following the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar began to include Malik in meetings again, despite open opposition from leaders like Devendra Fadnavis and Ashish Shelar of the BJP.
On the final day for nominations, Malik held a rally, accompanied by his daughter. Initially, he informed the media that he had submitted two forms – one as an independent candidate – but later confirmed that he had filed the AB Form provided by the party.
“Today, I filed a nomination from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Vidhan Sabha constituency as NCP candidate. I filed the form as an Independent candidate too. But the party has sent the AB Form and we submitted it at 2.55pm. Now I am an official candidate for NCP,” he said.
Fadnavis declined to comment on Malik’s candidacy, but Shelar, the Mumbai BJP president, made the party’s stance clear later in the day. “The BJP will not campaign for Nawab Malik. Our position has been consistent. Every party has the right to choose its candidates, but the BJP objects specifically to Nawab Malik. Both Devendra Fadnavis and I have reiterated our views on this matter. We will not support someone associated with the Dawood Ibrahim case.”
Maharashtra Elections 2024: Nawab Malik Files Nomination From Mankhurd Seat As NCP Candidate
Regarding Malik’s daughter, Shelar stated, “There is no evidence linking Sana Malik to Dawood Ibrahim. Until such evidence emerges, she is a candidate of the Mahayuti, and any candidate of Mahayuti will also be considered a candidate of the BJP.”