Oppn corners govt as Nawab Malik attends session; Fadnavis opposes his induction in ruling alliance

NAGPUR: Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday wrote to his Cabinet colleague and NCP leader Ajit Pawar opposing the induction of NCP MLA Nawab Malik, an accused in an ED case, in the ruling `Maha Yuti’ alliance as the Opposition tried to corner the BJP and state government over the issue.

Out on medical bail after the ED arrested him in February 2022 in a money-laundering probe, Malik attended the winter session of the state legislature here for the first time on Thursday and was later seen in the office of Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party in the legislature complex. In the House, he was seen sitting in the last row, next to an MLA of the Ajit Pawar faction.

The Opposition targeted the BJP, which is part of the government, pointing out that it had once dubbed Malik a “traitor” after he faced allegations of doing a land deal in Mumbai with fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s aides. Malik himself has not yet made clear whether he belongs to the Ajit Pawar faction or the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. In his letter to Ajit Pawar, who too is a deputy CM, Fadnavis said Malik has the right to attend the Assembly as an MLA and added that “we (the BJP) do not harbour any personal animosity or grudge” against him.

“However, considering the kind of allegations he is facing, we are of the opinion that it would not be appropriate to induct him in the Maha Yuti,” the BJP leader said while also noting that Malik was out only on medical bail.

“We agree that it is your prerogative (to decide) who should be inducted in your party. But every constituent party (of the Maha Yuti) has to think as to whether it would harm the alliance. Hence, we are opposed to this,” Fadnavis added.

He also said that his party could not be on the same page as the “then chief minister” and the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government which had allowed Malik to continue as a minister even after he was arrested.

Malik was a Cabinet minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government at the time of his arrest.