New Bharat TV
Mumbai: The BJP on Monday said it will oppose the candidature of NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader Nawab Malik for the assembly elections. Malik is the sitting MLA from Anushakti Nagar in Mumbai South-Central parliamentary constituency. According to news reports, this time he wants to contest from Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar and leave the Anushakti Nagar constituency for his daughter Sana, who is planning to make her debut in electoral politics.
The Malik family told The NewBharat TV that they are ready for the elections, and are waiting for the party's official announcement. BJP Mumbai chief and Bandra (West) MLA Ashish Shelar told The NewBharat TV on Monday that his party will not accept a ticket to anyone linked to underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
Why was Nawab Malik arrested?
Malik was earlier a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. He was arrested in 2022 by the NIA in the case registered against Dawood and his associates including Chhota Shakeel and Tiger Memon. Malik was granted bail on medical grounds in July this year. Following the NCP split, the faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar took the MLA into its fold, despite objections from grand alliance ally BJP.
Malik was sitting on the treasury bench during the recent assembly session in Nagpur. At that time, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had written a letter to Pawar requesting him not to include Malik in his faction. However, Pawar ignored the letter and welcomed Malik into his camp.
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