Ajit Pawar to emerge as key player after Maharashtra polls, says Nawab Malik

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Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar is expected to emerge as a significant player in state politics following the November 20 assembly polls, former minister Nawab Malik stated on Sunday.

In an interview with PTI over the phone, Malik, who is the NCP candidate for Mumbai's Mankhurd-Shivajinagar seat, discussed the evolving dynamics of Maharashtra's political scene. He claimed that ideological politics has largely faded in the state, leaving alliances unpredictable. According to PTI, Malik noted, "There are even speculations that NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Eknath Shinde, leader of the Shiv Sena, might join hands."

Malik, who was previously arrested in a money laundering case and faces allegations of associations with individuals linked to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, is in a high-stakes race against Abu Azmi, a Samajwadi Party candidate backed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), and Shiv Sena's Suresh Patil. Despite the NCP's alliance with Shiv Sena and the BJP in the Mahayuti coalition, BJP leaders have announced they will not campaign for Malik, who has faced ongoing criticism from the party.

The seasoned 65-year-old politician highlighted the upcoming election as a closely contested battle between the Mahayuti coalition and the opposition MVA. He expressed confidence that Ajit Pawar would play a pivotal role in Maharashtra's political landscape after the election, as per PTI reports. In the last election, the undivided NCP secured 54 out of the 288 assembly seats.

In 2023, Ajit Pawar parted ways with his uncle Sharad Pawar, the NCP's founder, and formed an alliance with the Mahayuti coalition. Ajit Pawar later acquired the party's name and its iconic clock symbol, while Sharad Pawar now leads the NCP (SP) faction as part of the MVA alongside Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).

Malik also expressed gratitude to former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar for their support during his legal troubles. He noted that neither sought his resignation when he was arrested in 2022, while the MVA was still in power. "I have already expressed my gratitude to them. I spoke to Uddhav ji over the phone after my release and met Pawar saheb personally," Malik shared with PTI.

Currently, Malik is on medical bail until his full bail plea is resolved in the Bombay High Court regarding his money laundering charges. He defended himself against allegations, saying, "I'll sue anyone defaming me by accusing me of links with Dawood Ibrahim," PTI reported.

Malik revealed his allegiance to Ajit Pawar, appreciating the Deputy Chief Minister's support during his challenging period. He accused his rival, incumbent MLA Abu Asim Azmi, of covertly aligning with the government. According to Malik, Azmi has supported the administration in legislative council and Rajya Sabha votes and maintains control over the local administration.

Reflecting on recent election data, Malik noted that the Mahayuti candidate for the Mumbai North seat received only 28,000 votes from Mankhurd-Shivajinagar in the last Lok Sabha elections. "You can't win assembly elections with 28,000 votes. Though Mahayuti has fielded a candidate here (Suresh Patil from Sena), my candidature isn't a personal choice but rather a response to the people's wishes. I am confident of my victory," he asserted to PTI.

According to Malik, the people of Mankhurd-Shivajinagar are eager for change and want an end to anti-social activities and the drug issues prevalent in the constituency over the past 15 years.

Previously, as an MVA minister, Malik was a vocal critic of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), particularly targeting then-Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede following the 2021 arrest of Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, on drug charges aboard a cruise ship. Due to insufficient evidence, the NCB later dismissed the charges against Aryan Khan and five others.

In a move to bolster its presence in Mumbai, the NCP has also fielded Malik's daughter, Sana Malik, as a candidate from Anushakti Nagar, a seat her father formerly represented multiple times. Though the BJP remains unwilling to campaign for Nawab Malik, it has expressed no objections to his daughter's candidature.

Polling for Maharashtra's 288 assembly seats will take place on November 20, with vote counting set for November 23.

(With inputs from PTI)