On Friday morning, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Ajit Pawar, unveiled its second slate of seven candidates for the next Maharashtra Assembly elections. Siddique’s son , a former Congress MLA who was just kicked out of his party, joined the NCP that same morning and plans to run for the Bandra East seat in Mumbai.
Aaditya Thackeray’s cousin Varun Sardesai, a candidate for the Shiv Sena (UBT), will compete against him. Zeeshan experienced a personal tragedy just two weeks ago when gunmen murdered his father, former politician Baba Siddique, outside of his workplace.
Since Zeeshan had already shown up at a rally with Ajit Pawar, indicating his tilt towards the NCP even if he hadn’t joined it yet, this incident stoked rumors about his political future.
Zeeshan posted his unhappiness on social media when the Shiv Sena (UBT) announced Sardesai as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate from Bandra East, implying that his long-standing partnership with the party had altered. Sana Malik, the daughter of MLA Nawab Malik, is making another noteworthy move by deciding to run for office in her father’s Anushaktinagar constituency after her absence from the first list raised some concerns.
Nawab Malik is anticipated to run as an Independent in Shivaji Nagar-Mankhurd, where he would face off against Abu Azmi of the Samajwadi Party in the November 20 assembly elections. Former BJP MPs Pratap Patil-Chikhalikar (from Loha) and Sanjaykaka Patil (from Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal) are also on the NCP list.
In the Vadgaon-Sheri seat of Pune, where former BJP MLA Jagdish Mulik expressed interest, incumbent Sunil Tingre will run for reelection.
Nishikant Patil, who will run against state leader Jayant Patil of the NCP (SP), and Dyaneshwar Katke, who will run against Ashok Pawar of the NCP (SP) in Shirur, are two other NCP nominees.