Controversy Surrounds NCP's Candidature Decision for Maharashtra Polls

NCP's candidate Nawab Malik, despite legal controversies, remains in the spotlight as the party's choice for the Maharashtra assembly polls. His criminal allegations are unproven, and BJP's refusal to campaign for him adds tension within the Mahayuti alliance as elections loom.

NCP working president Praful Patel asserted that Nawab Malik's candidature for the Maharashtra assembly elections won't hinder the Mahayuti alliance's prospects in the state.

Malik, facing serious allegations involving money laundering and connections to gangster Dawood Ibrahim, stands as the party's official candidate from Mumbai's Mankhurd-Shivajinagar constituency for the November elections. Allegations against him remain unproven in the judicial system.

Despite BJP's refusal to support Malik, his long political history and recent bail on medical grounds position him controversially within the Mahayuti alliance, which comprises BJP and Shiv Sena factions.

(With inputs from agencies.)