"During Difficult Times...": Baba Siddique's Son Joins Team Ajit Pawar

Zeeshan Siddique, son of ex-Maharashtra minister Baba Siddiqui - who was shot dead on October 12 - joined the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress party Friday morning.

He joined in the presence of Mr Pawar, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister.

Mr Siddique will defend the Vandre (East) seat he won in the 2019 election when he was with the Congress. His opponent will be Varun Sardesai, the nephew of Uddhav Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena faction is allied with the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP group as the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Expelled by the Congress in August - after reports of cross-voting in a legislative council election - Mr Siddique's jump to the NCP comes a day after he hit out at the Maha Vikas Aghadi, accusing them of having deserted him after his father died, a three-time Congress MLA who also switched to the NCP.

This was after the MVA said Vandre (East) will be contested by Uddhav Thackeray's outfit as part of a seat-share deal that will see the Sena (UBT), NCP-Sharad Pawar, and the Congress get 85 seats each.

And, in his first comment after following his father's footsteps, Mr Siddique once again slammed the opposition alliance for having abandoned him. "MVA declared their candidates and the Congress' seat (of Vandre (East) was given to the Shiv Sena (Thackeray's camp) ... this is very unfortunate."

"Congress and MVA leaders were in touch with me over the past few days... but they intended to deceive. In that difficult time, Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and the NCP trusted me."

"This is an emotional day for my family and me..." he told NDTV after joining the NCP.

"I have got the nomination from Vandre (East), I am sure that with the love and support of all the people, I will definitely win Bandra East yet again... It was an unfinished dream of my father that we win this seat again and fight for the rights of people. He was murdered while fighting for this."

"His blood runs in my veins. I will fight his fight and win by a record margin..." he declared.

On Thursday, after it was confirmed that the Thackeray Sena would contest Vandre (East), Mr Siddique posted a caustic comment on X. "I heard old friends have announced their candidates from Vandre East. Supporting was never in their nature. Maintain relations with those who give respect."

Baba Siddiqui, 66, was shot dead outside his son's office in Bandra on October 12. Fourteen people have been arrested so far as police probe different angles to establish the motive.

The former Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Baba Siddiqui was the Congress MLA from the formerly undivided Vandre seat for two terms. The seat was bifurcated in 2008, after which he represented Vandre (West) for a third term. Earlier this year, too he quit the Congress and joined Ajit Pawar's NCP faction.

Maharashtra will vote in a single phase on November 20, with results due three days later.

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