Turbulence hits Mahayuti as allies draw swords over Nawab Malik's candidature, BJP says won't back 'Dawood aide'

Nawab Malik is out on bail in a case of money laundering involving gangster Dawood Ibrahim. (File Photo: PTI)

Nationalist Congress Party president Ajit Pawar's decision to field Nawab Malik as the party's official candidate in poll-bound Maharashtra has caused ripples in the ruling Mahayuti just weeks before polling.

The NCP's decision came just minutes before nominations closed on Wednesday. "Today, I filed a nomination from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Vidhan Sabha constituency as an NCP candidate. I had filed the form as an Independent candidate also. But the party has sent the AB form and we submitted it at 2.55 pm and now I am the official candidate of NCP," Malik said after filing his nomination.

The decision hasn't gone down well with ally BJP, which had made its reservations against Malik's candidature clear before hand and has declared it will not campaign for him.

Nawab Malik, a sitting MLA from Anushakti Nagar, served as a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and was arrested in 2022 by the National Investigation Agency in a money laundering case involving fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his associates, including Chhota Shakeel and Tiger Memon. Malik was granted bail on medical grounds in July this year. He joined Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP after the split in the party.

Reacting to the NCP's last-minute decision to field Malik from the seat triggered strong reactions from the BJP as well as Opposition parties in the state. Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said that his party workers will not campaign for Nawab Malik and their stand is clear about the people connected to underworld don 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. 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 said.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya also objected to Malik’s Candidature and said Shiv Sena’s Suresh Krishna Patil is the ‘official’ candidate of ‘Mahayuti’.

“Mahayuti ( Shivsena) official candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar is Bullet Patil. We will fight to defeat candidates supporting Vote Jihad, Terrorism,” he posted on X.

The NCP's decision is being seen as an act of defiance by Ajit Pawar who was believed to have been under tremendous pressure from allies BJP and the Shiv Sena (UBT) not to nominate Malik as its candidate. The parties had made their reservations against Malik clear months ago when he was seen sharing stage with Pawar at public programmes.

Devendra Fadnavis had also written to Ajit Pawar advising him to refrain from fielding Malik in the elections.

The Mahayuti's internal discord gave fodder to the Opposition which took a swipe at the BJP over the decision by its ally. "“‘Dawood aide’ Is now BFF with Ashish Shelar and Devendra Fadnavis, the ‘Dawood buddy’ is now fighting in the alliance led by the BJP, officially. Patriotism ke certificate baantne waale kahaan hain aaj?" Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said.

Her party colleague Aaditya Thackeray also targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and wondered what prompted his change of stand.

"Eknath Shinde should answer this. He could not meet Dawood’s partner. He could not sit beside anyone who had any connection with Dawood. Then what became of Iqbal Mirchi? What happened to Dawood’s partner?… When he had said all that, he did it only for his own selfishness. He did not want to go to jail, so he switched and ran off to Gujarat," Thackeray said.

Meanwhile, the BJP has declared Shiv Sena’s Suresh Krishna Patil, who is also known as Bullet Patil, as its “official” candidate from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar. Malik will now take on Abu Azmi from the Muslim-dominated seat that has been traditionally held by the Samajwadi Party leader.