The NCP led by Ajit Pawar on Tuesday nominated former minister Nawab Malik from Mankhurd Shivajinagar constituency while ignoring the objection raised by its ally BJP.
The BJP has issued a warning that they will not campaign for Nawab Malik for his alleged links with underworld kingpin Dawood Ibrahim. Tuesday was the last date for filing nomination papers.
Nawab Malik, MLA from Anushakti Nagar, is shifting to the adjacent Mankhurd Shivajinagar constituency to contest against the Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi. His daughter Sana Malik, who has been nominated by NCP, filed her nomination on Monday to contest from Anushakti Nagar.
Today, I filed a nomination from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency as NCP candidate. I had filed the form as an Independent candidate also. But the party has sent the AB form which was submitted at 2.55 pm and now I am the official candidate of NCP, said Nawab Malik after filing his nomination papers in the presence of his two daughters, Sana Malik and Nilofer Malik.
He will now contest on NCP's clock symbol. "I am thankful to Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare for giving me a nomination. They have faith in me. The voters will whole-heartedly support me. I will win from the Mankhurd Shivajinagar constituency," Nawab Malik added.
The move of NCP is important since the BJP has been a strong opponent of Malik's nomination. It was Ashish Shelar, the Mumbai unit chief, who took the initiative to protest against Malik's nomination saying that the BJP will not campaign for him. "We will not accept giving a ticket to someone linked to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. We won't support Nawab Malik and will have a different stand," said Shelar.
BJP is opposing the bail as Nawab Malik is on medical bail in the money laundering case. He was a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, and in 2022, he was arrested by the NIA in a case first registered against Dawood and his associates, who include Chhota Shakeel and Tiger Memon.
However, after Ajit Pawar walked out of the NCP led by his uncle in June 2023, Malik, who was out on medical bail, switched to the former's camp, deserting the Sharad Pawar faction.
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