Maharashtra Assembly Elections: The ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra is facing a challenge ahead of the upcoming polls in Maharashtra after Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar nominated Nawab Malik as its candidate from the Makhurd Shivaji Nagar seat, from where BJP's Kirti Somaiya has been pushing for Shiv Sena's Suresj Krishan Patil as the "official" candidate.
After Nawab Malik filed his nomination papers from the Makhurd Shivaji Nagar seat on Tuesday, the BJP began opposing his candidature, stressing that the party was "very clear" on its stand on the issue. BJP's Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar even declared that the party will not campaign for Malik, even though he is an NCP candidate.
BJP has been openly expressing its objection to the inclusion of Nawab Malik in the Mahayuti alliance since he is said to have links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. Malik is out on bail in a money laundering case linked to the underworld. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in February 2022.
BJP leader Kirti Somaiya said that the Mahayuti's "official" candidate for tge Mankhurd seat was chosen and that the party will not support those who support terrorism, in an apparent reference to Nawab Malik.
"Mahayuti ( Shivsena) official candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar is Bullet Patil. We will fight to defeat candidates supporting Vote Jihad, Terrorism," Somaiya said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Meanwhile, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar empahsised that the saffron party will neither back Malik nor campaign for him in the upcoming polls. He reiterated party's stance that Malik will not receive BJP's support due to his alleged connections with 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," Shelar said.
"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 added.
Sana Malik, Nawab Malik's daughter has also been given an NCP ticket from Anushakti Nagar, currently represented by the latter.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections will be be held in a single phase on November 20. Results will be announced on November 23.
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