Baba Siddique's son joins Ajit Pawar's NCP; fielded from Vandra east

Zeeshan Siddique

Son of late NCP leader Baba Siddique, former Mumbai Youth Congress president Zeeshan Siddiqui, joins the NCP in Mumbai on Friday.

The party announced Siddiqui as its  candidate from Vandra east constituency.

"Maha Vikas Aghadi declared their candidates and Congress' sitting seat was given to Shiv Sena (UBT), this is very unfortunate. Congress leaders and Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders were in touch with me in the past few days...But they intended to deceive. In that difficult time, Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and NCP placed their trust in me. I am thankful to them. It was an unfinished dream of my father that we have to win this seat again and fight fo the rights of people. He was murdered while fighting for this. His blood runs in my veins and I will fight his fight and win Bandra East with a record margin..." Siddiqui  told ANI.

Baba Siddiqui, 66, was shot dead outside Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra on October 12. Baba Siddiqui served as the Congress MLA for Vandre from 1999 to 2009.

Siddiqui will be be up against  Varun Sardesai, the nephew of ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena faction is allied with the Congress, and the Sharad Pawar NCP, as part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.

In  2019,  Siddiqui defeated the Shiv Sena's Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, former Mayor of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, to win Vandre East. However, Siddiqui was expelled by Congress earlier this year over allegations of cross-voting in Maharashtra legislative council elections, a charge denied by him.

Assembly elections in Maharashtra will be held in a single phase on November 20. The votes will be counted on November 23.