Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Aug 13: With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on the horizon, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has brought former minister Nawab Malik back into the political spotlight by appointing him as the head of the party’s Election Coordination Committee for Mumbai.
This marks a significant political comeback for Malik, who has remained largely inactive since his defeat in the 2024 assembly elections from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat. Prior to that, he had vacated his Anushaktinagar seat for his daughter, who successfully contested the polls.
As head of the Election Coordination Committee, Malik will now be responsible for shaping the party’s election strategy in Mumbai. His role includes overseeing candidate selection, seat allocation, and internal coordination. Importantly, he is also expected to lead discussions with allies in the MahaYuti coalition — including the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena — if the three decide to contest the civic polls as a united front.
A senior NCP leader confirmed the decision after an internal party meeting, saying, “Nawab Malik will play a key role in steering the party’s campaign in Mumbai.”
Malik's political journey has seen sharp turns. He was a cabinet minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in February 2022 in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Goawala compound property in Kurla. He was granted bail on health grounds in August 2023.
His return to the treasury benches following the NCP's alignment with the BJP last year stirred internal tensions. The BJP had openly objected to Malik’s presence in the ruling coalition, despite him being out on bail.
Then Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had issued a letter expressing strong opposition to Malik’s inclusion, stating, “While he has the right to attend the Assembly, his involvement in the alliance is unacceptable until his name is cleared.”
Malik’s reappointment signals a fresh chapter in his political career, while also reflecting Ajit Pawar’s strategy to consolidate NCP’s position in the country’s richest municipal body ahead of a high-stakes civic battle.