top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

MPs rebellion ‘splits’ even some families

Mumbai: Amid the rebellion by 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, at least two of them have shot into the spotlight, but for entirely different and non-political reasons – Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Sanjay Dina-Patil (Mumbai North-East). Despite their fathers currently in the process of shifting loyalties to the Shiv Sena headed by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, the son and daughter, respectively, of both these MPs have chosen to stay anchored firmly with SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray....

MPs rebellion ‘splits’ even some families

Mumbai: Amid the rebellion by 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, at least two of them have shot into the spotlight, but for entirely different and non-political reasons – Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Sanjay Dina-Patil (Mumbai North-East). Despite their fathers currently in the process of shifting loyalties to the Shiv Sena headed by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, the son and daughter, respectively, of both these MPs have chosen to stay anchored firmly with SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray. They are Krishna Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Rajool Sanjay Patil and both are emerging politicians in their own right and with politically bright prospects. Rajool is a SS (UBT) Municipal Corporator from Ward No. 114 (Bhandup) in her father’ constituency, and Krishna is the official Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate for the Nanded Local Authorities constituency in the Maharashtra Legislature’s upper house. However, the abrupt rebellion by their fathers - along with four other SS (UBT) MPs has raised question marks on their own loyalties and political moorings – with the MLCs election results scheduled on Monday. A Deputy Leader from Pune guardedly said that “the same norms under the anti-defection laws for parliament would apply” at all levels, preventing the duo (Krishna and Rajool) from following in their fathers’ footsteps. “After all, there are many examples where in the same family, different members owe allegiance to different political parties. They may have made their personal political calculations and survival before taking any plunge blindly in the name of ideology,” the leader told ‘The Perfect Voice’, requesting anonymity. A Mumbai leader averred that in case the political sand slips - for whatever reasons - in the ongoing defection drama, at least all in the family may not have to pay the price for a botch-up, as “these youngsters still have a long road ahead in politics”. On June 18, when Ashtikar’s name came among the six potential turncoats, Krishna faced an embarrassing situation as the MLC polling was underway that day. Krishna quickly mouthed bites to proclaim his allegiance to Thackeray and an equally bewildered Rajool - elected as a BMC corporator just six months ago - instantly declared her support to SS (UBT) and even joined a protest against her father’s decision. Both the youngsters confronting a peculiar family-cum-political divide put up brave faces and publicly claimed that they had “absolutely no inkling” of the political coup currently underway and are firmly with Thackeray. For the present, however, the SS (UBT) camp is somewhat relieved that the damage caused by the proposed exit of the 6 MPs has not percolated to their family members, affording it time to take some proactive measures to prevent a similar scenario in the coming times. SS (UBT) Deputy Leader dares MP’s son A skeptical SS (UBT) Deputy Leader Sushma Andhare and others immediately pounced on Krishna Ashtikar, questioning the credibility of his words after his father and party MP from Hingoli Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar’s plans to switch sides. “Go and perform your father’s funeral rituals (pind-daan) immediately to prove your claims that you are different from your father…” a livid Andhare dared Krishna, who retorted by saying that he is “answerable only to the SS (UBT) supremo and none else”.

The Party Spoiler

Updated: Nov 7, 2024

Nawab Malik

Nawab Malik is contesting as an official candidate of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from the Shivajinagar-Mankhurd assembly constituency. However, he is not the official candidate of the Mahayuti of which the NCP is a part. The other two alliance partners have even opposed Malik and made it clear that they won’t campaign for him. This has raised questions as to why is he contesting from the seat?


Mankhurd-Shivajinagar seat has gone to the Shiv Sena under Cm Eknath Shinde and the party has fielded one Suresh Krishna Patil aka Bullet Patil as its candidate from the seat. Also, traditionally this constituency doesn’t belong to Nawab Malik. He had always been contesting the Kurla constituency. Moreover, the BJP and the Shiv Sena are openly opposing Malik accusing him of having connections with fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim and hence have said that they won’t campaign for him. Malik was jailed over these allegations and that also is the reason why he wasn’t been officially accepted by the NCP under DCM Ajit Pawar even after his release. This raises another question as to why Ajit Pawar, who didn’t dare to accept Malik as a party member went ahead to declare him as an official candidate of the party at the very last moment?


On this backdrop, people have started doubting Malik’s intentions to contest election from this constituency. Whether he will prove to be a vote getter or a vote splitter, is the real question people wasn’t to ask.


Born on June 20, 1959, in Dhuswa village of Uttar Pradesh Nawab Malik moved to Mumbai with his family in the 1970s. His father was involved in the rag business, which Malik later joined before venturing into politics. His political journey began in 1979 when he participated in a city-wide student protest against a fee hike at Mumbai University. Initially he was part of the Congress but later moved to the Samajwadi Party, where he won a by-election and served as a minister in the Congress-NCP alliance government in 1999. In 2004, Malik joined the NCP due to differences with Abu Azmi and was appointed as a Minister of State. Since then, he has held various ministerial positions.


Malik sported several controversies around him and always posed as the savior of minorities. After the arrest of Shahrukh Kahn’s son Aryan, Malik was very critical of the Narcotics Control Bureau and the union government. This was the biggest clash point between him and the BJP. Finally, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in February 2022, in connection with an alleged money laundering case. After securing bail from the SC on health grounds, he is currently out of the jail.

Comments

bottom of page