Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024: ‘Nawab Malik’s candidature won’t impact Mahayuti’s prospects,’ says Praful Patel

NCP's Praful Patel defends Nawab Malik's candidature, assures no impact on Mahayuti's prospects in Maharashtra Assembly polls.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) working president Praful Patel has said the candidature of Nawab Malik on his party's ticket for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls will not impact the prospects of Mahayuti elsewhere in the State.

Mr. Malik, who had been arrested in a money-laundering case and is also accused of having links with people close to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, is the official candidate of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from Mankhurd-Shivajinagar seat in Mumbai for the November 20 State polls.

Talking to reporters in Gondia, Mr. Patel said the allegations against Mr. Malik have not been proved in the court of law.

"He is our long time colleague. If the BJP or the Shiv Sena doesn't want to support his candidature or if they want to put up their nominee against him, they can do so. We will take care to ensure Mahayuti's prospects are not impacted elsewhere in the State," the Rajya Sabha member said.

Mr. Malik was a Minister in the Cabinet led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

He had targeted the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) then Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede, following the arrest of Aryan Khan, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's son, over alleged possession of drugs on board a cruise ship in 2021.

The anti-drug agency later dropped drug charges against Aryan Khan and five others due to lack of sufficient evidence.