When Ajit Pawar gave ticket to Nawab Malik, BJP got angry, ‘We are going to support Vote Jihad…’

Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP President Ajit Pawar has given ticket to Nawab Malik from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat. Now BJP has expressed strong objection to this decision. Due to this the atmosphere of Mahayuti has heated up. BJP’s opposition to Nawab Malik is not new. But now at the time of elections it has once again come to the fore.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya as ‘official’ candidate on this seat Eknath Shinde The group is accepting Suresh Krishna Patil of Shiv Sena. Somaiya posted on social media

Bullet Patil is the official candidate – Kirit Somaiya

Kirit Somaiya has refused to accept Nawab Malik of Ajit Pawar faction as the official candidate. He said, “We will fight to defeat the candidates who support vote jihad, terrorism.”

Mahayuti (Shivsena) official candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar is Bullet Patil. We will fight to defeat candidates supporting Vote Jihad, Terrorism @BJP4India @Dev_Fadnavis @mieknathshinde

— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) October 29, 2024

What did Mumbai BJP Chief say?

Mumbai BJP Chief Ashish Shelar said that our party’s stand on this issue is very clear. All the parties of Mahayuti have the right to declare their candidates to whom they want to give tickets. But here is the case of NCP’s official candidate Nawab Malik who has been given the ticket.

Ashish Shelar said, “We have repeatedly made our stand clear about Dawood Ibrahim and people associated with him. Devendra Fadnavis has already said this and now I am also saying the same. Therefore, we have made our stand clear about Dawood Ibrahim and people associated with him. There is no question of campaigning for it.”

We will win Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat – Nawab Malik

Nawab Malik further said, “I had also filed the form as an independent candidate 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. I am very grateful to (Deputy Chief Minister) Ajit Pawar, NCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare. I am confident that this time we will win Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency.

Nawab Malik has been MLA from Anushakti Nagar twice. Earlier this month, after being denied a ticket from NCP due to pressure from grand alliance ally BJP, Mankhurd had announced to contest as an independent candidate from Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency. However, now Ajit Pawar has given him the ticket and he is confident of victory.

What is the allegation of BJP leaders?

BJP leaders had also accused Nawab Malik of having links with underworld Dawood Ibrahim. Devendra Fadnavis has also earlier expressed objection about Nawab Malik. He had written a letter to Ajit Pawar against any plan to include former minister Nawab Malik in the Grand Alliance.

Nawab Malik was arrested by ED in February 2022 in a case related to money laundering. He was granted interim bail in August 2023. Later it was extended from time to time. This ED case is based on the FIR registered against Dawood Ibrahim and his associates under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar assembly seat is held by Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi. maharashtra assembly elections The counting of votes for all 288 constituencies will take place on November 20.

Also read: Independent or from Ajit Pawar group? Suspense ended on Nawab Malik contesting elections