Baba Siddique’s son Zeeshan joins Ajit Pawar’s NCP amid political turmoil

Zeeshan Siddique criticizes MVA for abandoning him after his father’s death

Zeeshan Siddique, son of the late ex-Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, joined the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday morning. This move comes in the wake of his father’s tragic assassination on October 12.

In a ceremony attended by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Zeeshan Siddique expressed his commitment to defend the Vandre (East) seat, which he won in the 2019 elections while affiliated with the Congress. His primary opponent will be Varun Sardesai, nephew of Uddhav Thackeray, whose faction of the Shiv Sena is allied with the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Siddique’s shift to the NCP follows his expulsion from the Congress in August after allegations of cross-voting in a legislative council election. His decision to join the NCP comes just a day after he publicly criticized the MVA, claiming they had deserted him after his father’s death. He lamented that the MVA had allocated the Vandre (East) seat to the Thackeray faction, which he deemed “unfortunate.”

“MVA declared their candidates and gave the Congress seat of Vandre (East) to the Shiv Sena. This is very unfortunate,” Siddique stated. He further remarked that while MVA leaders were in contact with him recently, their intentions were deceptive. “In that difficult time, Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and the NCP trusted me,” he added.

Describing the day as emotional for his family, Siddique expressed hope for victory in the upcoming elections. “I have got the nomination from Vandre (East), and with the love and support of all the people, I will definitely win Bandra East yet again. It was an unfinished dream of my father to win this seat and fight for the rights of the people,” he declared.

The political landscape surrounding the Vandre (East) constituency has become increasingly contentious, especially after the announcement that the Thackeray faction would contest the seat. On Thursday, following this development, Siddique took to social media to express his discontent: “I heard old friends have announced their candidates from Vandre East. Supporting was never in their nature. Maintain relations with those who give respect.”

Baba Siddiqui, aged 66, was fatally shot outside his son’s office in Bandra on October 12. As the police investigated various angles to determine the motive, fourteen individuals were arrested. Baba Siddiqui, a former Food and Civil Supplies Minister, served as a Congress MLA from the Vandre seat for two terms before transitioning to the NCP earlier this year.

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