In a statement that could set tongues wagging in political circles, Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik said he is solely the candidate of the NCP and that the other Mahayuti allies—Shiv Sena and BJP—are against him.
Malik’s remarks came after both the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena opposed his candidature from Mankhurd-Shivajinagar assembly constituency over his alleged links with people close to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
"I am the candidate of the Nationalist Congress Party; I am with Ajit Pawar; he has made me a candidate; now Mahayuti alliance people, whether from the Bharatiya Janata Party or Shiv Sena, are fighting the elections against me, and my fight is with them,” Malik told news agency ANI.
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Talking about the allegations over his alleged links with Dawood’s gang, he said people had even called him a traitor in the state assembly.
"The way I am being linked to the underworld, people have even called me a traitor in the Vidhan Sabha, and connecting me to terrorists, I have said clearly that we did not reply to it because there was a restriction of speaking on it. Whoever tries to defame my image has a right to speak, and I have the right to defend. There are laws in the country too,” he said.
Malik further warned that he will file civil and criminal defamation against those who spread false allegations against him.
Malik’s daughter and NCP candidate from Anushakti Nagar Sana Malik also dismissed the allegations against his father.
"These allegations are not true at all, and we will file a case against those who have linked my father with Dawood. He had a case of money laundering against him, but the links with Dawood are untrue. The people will answer these allegations," she said.
Meanwhile, in another statement, Malik maintained that the results of the upcoming Maharashtra elections are unpredictable and that party chief Ajit Pawar will play a key role in the formation of the next government.
Anything can happen in Maharashtra after the results, and Ajit Pawar will play the role of kingmaker, Malik said.
"There is a very tough competition in Maharashtra. We cannot predict who will get the majority. On both sides, there is an alliance of 3 parties. So, Ajit Pawar will play a big role in the formation of government... No one can neglect the fact that Ajit Pawar will play the role of kingmaker in Maharashtra," he said.
A section of reports sees Malik’s remarks as a reflection of the growing disgruntlement within the Mahayuti alliance ahead of elections.
