Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday released its second list of seven candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Former Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddiqui, who was recently expelled from his party, has joined the NCP and will contest from Mumbai’s Bandra East seat. He will face Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Varun Sardesai, who is Aditya Thackeray’s cousin. Just two weeks ago, Zeeshan had faced a personal tragedy when his father, former minister Baba Siddiqui, was murdered by miscreants outside his office.
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The incident sparked speculation over his political future, as Zeeshan had earlier appeared at a rally with Ajit Pawar, indicating his inclination towards the NCP, although he had not yet officially joined the NCP. . After Shiv Sena (UBT) declared Sardesai as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate from Bandra East, Zeeshan expressed his displeasure on social media, suggesting that his long-standing alliance with the party changed Is.
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In another notable move, MLA Nawab Malik’s daughter Sana Malik will contest from her father’s Anushaktinagar constituency after her name not appearing in the first list had raised some questions. Nawab Malik is expected to stand as an independent candidate in Shivaji Nagar-Mankhurd, where he will contest against Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi. Assembly elections are to be held on November 20. Additional candidates in the NCP list include former BJP MPs Sanjaykaka Patil (contesting from Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal) and Pratap Patil-Chikhlikar (from Loha).
