Maharashtra Elections 2024: Rift In Mahayuti Widens, Ajit Pawar To Campaign For Nawab Malik In Mumbai's Mankhurd

Mumbai: With the Maharashtra assembly elections less than 15 days away, the tensions within the Mahayuti continue to rise. The rift has now widened as Dy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar has confirmed that he will campaign for NCP candidate Nawab Malik, who is contesting from Mumbai's Mankhurd. Notably, BJP and Shiv Sena will not be campaigning for Malik as the official Mahayuti candidate from the constituency is Shiv Sena's Suresh Patil.

Malik was fielded from Mumbai's Mankhurd-Shivajinagar despite the BJP resistance. The BJP has been clarifying that the party does not support candidature of Malik because of his alleged links with Dawood and Dawood related cases. Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar have been reiterating that BJP will not campaign for Malik and their official candidate is Patil. Fadnavis also said that the Ajit Pawar-led NCP confirmed Malik's candidature three minutes before the deadline.

However, NCP has been backing Nawab Malik strongly. Asking a question posed by the media on Thursday, Ajit Pawar said that charges against Malik are not proven, thus he is not the accused. Pawar said that he win campaign for Malik as he is the NCP candidate.

On the other hand, Nawab Malik said that Ajit Pawar will be the kingmaker in the Maharashtra assembly elections. On Thursday, he also said that no one can form the government without Ajit Pawar, and that is the fact.

Meanwhile, the BJP and Shiv Sena will campaign for Nawab Malik's daughter Sana Malik who is officially fielded as Mahayuti's candidate from Mumbai's Anushakti Nagar. Fadnavis said that Nawab Malik is accused of been linked with Dawood, however there are no evidences of his daughter linked to Dawood.