NCP declares second list: Zeeshan Siddique fielded against Aaditya’s cousin Varun from Bandra East

Since his father’s death, there has been speculations on Zeeshan’s political future. While Baba Siddique had joined the NCP, Zeeshan had made his intentions clear by sharing the stage with Ajit Pawar during his Yatra.

“My father Baba Siddique ji always fought for the poor and weaker sections of the society and firmly believed in hard work and perseverance. As a father it was his dream to see me win these elections after all the work we have done in Vandre east and now it is my duty to fulfil his dream and serve the people of Vandre east,” Zeeshan said after getting the nomination from the NCP.

On Wednesday, after the Shiv Sena (UBT) announced its first list and declared Sardesai’s name as the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate from the Bandra East seat, Zeeshan had hit out at the party on social media. In a post on X, Zeeshan had said that old friends had announced a candidate from Bandra East. “It was never their nature to follow friendship…now the people will decide,” the post read.

Zeeshan had defeated the undivided Shiv Sena candidate in the 2019 Assembly polls. He was also aided by the rebellion within the Sena then. This time around, it will be a direct fight between him and the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Thanking the NCP leadership for supporting him in “tough times”, he said that he was grateful to Ajit Pawar “for entrusting him with the responsibility to contest with the blessings of the people and my father’s guidance”.

“Humbled by this opportunity, I will seek people’s mandate and work tirelessly to advance the cause my father dedicated his life to, serving the people of Bandra East and beyond,” he said.

Among other announcements, Sana Malik, the daughter of MLA Nawab Malik, will contest from her father’s constituency Anushaktinagar. Her missing name from the party’s first list had raised eyebrows as the BJP had clarified that it would not be campaigning for Malik.

Malik is likely to contest as an Independent from the neighbouring Shivaji Nagar-Mankhurd Assembly seat against Abu Azmi of the Samajwadi Party.

The NCP also gave tickets to former BJP MPs Sanjaykaka Patil (Sangli) and Pratap Patil-Chikhalikar (Nanded). They will contest from Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal and Loha Assembly seats, respectively.

The NCP emerged on top in the tussle with the BJP over Pune’s Vadgaon-Sheri Assembly seat with NCP’s sitting MLA Sunil Tingre set to re-contest from the seat. The BJP was keen on nominating former MLA Jagdish Mulik from the constituency.

The NCP also named Nishikant Patil as its candidate in Islampur, where he will take on NCP (SP) state chief Jayant Patil, and Dyaneshwar Katke as its candidate from Shirur, where he will take on NCP (SP)’s Ashok Pawar.

The Assembly elections in Maharashtra will be held on November 20 and results will be declared on November 23.