Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Ajit Pawar on Thursday campaigned in Mumbai for party candidates Nawab Malik and his daughter Sana Malik, who are contesting the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections, despite opposition from ruling ally BJP over Nawab Malik’s alleged ties with gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
Nawab Malik, former state minority affairs minister and Anushaktinagar MLA, is the NCP’s candidate for the Mankhurd-Shivajinagar constituency, while Sana Malik is running for the Anushaktinagar seat. Ajit Pawar, joined by both Nawab and Sana Malik, led a rally through Mumbai in an open jeep, urging voters to support the father-daughter duo.
Nawab Malik was arrested in February 2022 in connection with a money laundering case and was released on bail in August 2023. BJP leaders, including deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, have publicly criticised his nomination for the upcoming polls.
BJP Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar confirmed the party would not support Malik’s campaign. The Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), part of the Mahayuti alliance with the BJP, has also expressed objections, citing Malik’s alleged connections to Dawood Ibrahim. Shiv Sena has fielded Suresh ‘Bullet’ Patil to contest against Malik in Mankhurd-Shivajinagar.
During the campaign, Ajit Pawar also launched an attack on the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over its electoral promises. Speaking to ANI, Pawar said: “Rs three lakh crore is needed every year to fulfil the promises made by them (MVA). To fulfil our (Mahayuti) promises, we need Rs 75,000 crore. They said they will give many things for free, but where will they get the money from? They are lying and misleading people.”
Pawar expressed confidence in NCP’s prospects in the elections. “We are getting everyone’s support in this rally. There should be good voting on November 20 and our candidates should win on the 23rd and the Mahayuti government should be formed,” he said.
The MVA had announced five key pledges at a joint rally on Wednesday, including the Mahalakshmi Yojana, which promises Rs 3,000 per month to one woman in every family and free bus travel for women.
Ajit Pawar also mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently held a ‘Samvidhan Sammelan’ in Nagpur with a copy of the Constitution. “I came to know from the media that the Constitution he was holding was empty inside,” Pawar remarked.
Nawab Malik voiced optimism about his chances, stating: “We are contesting the elections on the request of the people. Ajit Dada (Pawar) has made me the candidate. I am the NCP candidate, and Mahayuti has fielded its candidate against me. The people are with us and we will win.”
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