BJP ally Ramdas Athawale seeks Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik's resignation

Ramdas Athawale (L) and Devendra Fadnavis. File Photo

Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday said Maharashtra NCP minister Nawab Malik should resign, in the wake of his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

Talking to reporters, the Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief said the tradition of Maharashtra is sullied when a minister who needs to be sacked is not removed from his post.

"When he (Malik) is in jail, he should tender the resignation and produce whatever evidence he has before court. The Maha Vikas Aghadi's stand that Malik will not resign is very wrong. NCP president Sharad Pawar knows everything and he should ask for Malik's resignation," said Athawale, whose party is an ally of the BJP.

Athawale said his party fully backs the BJP's demand for Malik's removal from the Maharashtra cabinet.

Senior NCP leader Malik was arrested on February 23 by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aides. He is currently in judicial custody.

The BJP has been strongly demanding Malik's resignation. But, the MVA leaders have junked the demand, saying Malik has been wrongfully targeted by alleged misuse of the central agencies by the BJP.

Malik has also termed his arrest as "illegal" and urged the Bombay High Court to set it aside, claiming that it violated his fundamental right to life and liberty.

Meanwhile, Athawale exuded confidence that the BJP will come back to power in five of the four states, where the Assembly polls were recently held.

The counting of votes in the five states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa- will be held on Thursday.

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