Ajit Pawar campaigns for Nawab Malik, his daughter Sana

Mumbai | NCP president Aijt Pawar on Thursday campaigned for his party nominees Nawab Malik and the latter’s daughter Sana, who are contesting the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections.

NCP’s ruling ally BJP has opposed Nawab Malik’s candidature, over his alleged links with gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

Nawab Malik, former state minority affairs minister and Anushaktinagar MLA, is NCP’s nominee from Mankhurd-Shivajinagar assembly constituency, while Sana is NCP candidate from Anushaktinagar.

Flanked by Nawab Malik and Sana, Ajit Pawar rode in an open jeep in a rally in Mumbai, urging people to vote for the Malik father-daughter duo.

Arrested in February 2022 in connection with a money laundering case, Nawab Mailk was released on bail in August 2023.

BJP leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is among the ruling alliance leaders who had opposed fielding him for the assembly polls.