Nawab Malik Asked Why He Sided With Ajit Pawar After NCP Split. His Reply

Nawab Malik, NCP's former Mumbai chief and former Maharashtra minister, today explained why he sided with Ajit Pawar after he led the mutiny against NCP founder and his uncle Sharad Pawar in 2023. The rebellion split the party, after which Ajit Pawar joined the NDA. Nawab Malik, who was in jail at the time, later sided with the Ajit Pawar faction.

Malik spoke to NDTV's Executive Editor Jitendra Dixit at NDTV's Power Play ahead of the upcoming election to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Asked why he sided with the Ajit Pawar faction, he replied, "During my difficult time, my daughters went to every leader, but the way Ajit Pawar supported us... when I returned home, I spoke to my family members, my daughters and others said there are up and downs in politics, but it is your responsibility to stand with the one who stood by your side."

The Enforcement Directorate arrested Malik in February 2022 in a case allegedly linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his associates.

Asked about rivals' allegations that Malik sided with Ajit Pawar to get relief in court cases, he replied, "The case is in court. No verdict changes on a leader's instructions. When dada (Ajit Pawar) stands with someone, he stands firmly. I feel I should stand with the leader who stands with me."

Malik was also asked why NCP is not fighting the BMC election in alliance with the BJP and Shiv Sena, its allies in the state government. "Our workers had demanded that we contest separately. Even in the local body polls, different parties joined hands to contest polls," he said.