 "Zeeshan Siddique joins Ajit Pawar-led NCP, to contest from Bandra East")
Zeeshan Siddique, son of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, on Friday joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, following his father’s political path.
The NCP also revealed its candidate list for the upcoming elections, picking Zeeshan Siddique to represent Bandra East Assembly seat.
In August, Zeeshan was expelled from the Congress party, following allegations of voting against party lines in the Maharashtra legislative council elections, an accusation he denied.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, Zeeshan won the Bandra East seat as a Congress candidate, though he was subsequently expelled from the party. For the Maharashtra 2024 election, he will be contesting against Varun Sardesai of Shiv Sena (UBT).
Upon joining the NCP, Zeeshan criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), stating, “Maha Vikas Aghadi declared their candidates and Congress’ sitting seat was given to Shiv Sena (UBT), this is very unfortunate. Congress leaders and Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders were in touch with me in the past few days... But they intended to deceive. In that difficult time, Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and NCP placed their trust in me. I am thankful to them.”
He said, “It was an unfinished dream of my father that we have to win this seat again and fight for the rights of the people. He was murdered while fighting for this. His blood runs in my veins and I will fight his fight and win Bandra East with a record margin...”
At 32, Zeeshan follows in the footsteps of his late father, Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister with the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), who was recently shot dead by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
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Maharashtra Assembly polls: NCP releases second candidate list
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP released its second list of seven candidates on Friday. Alongside Zeeshan Siddique’s inclusion, Sana Malik, daughter of MLA Nawab Malik, will run in her father's Anushaktinagar constituency.
Former BJP MPs Sanjaykaka Patil and Pratap Patil-Chikhlikar have also been named, contesting from Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal (Sangli) and Loha (Nanded), respectively.
Additionally, the NCP has chosen current MLA Sunil Tingre for the Vadgaon-Sheri assembly seat in Pune after resolving a seat dispute with the BJP.
[With agency inputs]