Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has fielded Nawab Malik from Maharashtra’s Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituency, sparking opposition from the BJP due to Malik’s alleged links with underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim. Malik filed his nomination as both an independent and an NCP candidate, awaiting the party’s AB form to finalize his status as an NCP candidate. If the form isn’t received in time, he will run as an independent.
The BJP’s Mumbai president, Ashish Shelar, has voiced strong opposition to Malik’s candidacy, citing his alleged underworld connections. Shelar stated, “We will not accept giving a ticket to someone linked to Dawood Ibrahim,” signaling a rift with the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar, despite the alliance.
Nawab Malik, previously a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, was arrested in 2022 in a case involving Dawood and associates. He was released on bail for medical reasons in July. His daughter, Sana Malik, is running from Anushakti Nagar on an NCP ticket, while Malik himself is seeking re-election in a different constituency after aligning with Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction following the party split.
