'Old friends...': Siddiqui's son slams Congress over Mumbai seat pick
Zeeshan Siddique, a former Congress leader and son of late Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddiqui, has slammed the party after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) announced a candidate for Mumbai's Vandre East seat. The 34-year-old took to social media to express his displeasure, writing, "I heard old friends have announced their candidates from Vandre East. Supporting was never in their nature." He added, "Maintain relations with those who give respect...now the people will decide."
Siddique's expulsion and father's assassination
Earlier this year, the Congress expelled Zeeshan after he was accused of cross-voting during the Maharashtra legislative council election. Zeeshan had denied the allegations. His father, Baba Siddiqui, a leader from the NCP's Ajit Pawar faction and former Maharashtra minister, was shot dead outside his son's office in Bandra on October 12. The Vandre East seat has been given to Congress ally Shiv Sena (UBT) under the MVA's seat-sharing arrangement.
Vandre East seat allocation and candidate nomination
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Varun Sardesai, party chief Uddhav Thackeray's nephew, from the Vandre East seat. This is part of a seat-sharing deal in the MVA. Meanwhile, in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti bloc, the same seat has been allotted to NCP's Ajit Pawar faction. Though no formal announcement has been made yet, Zeeshan Siddique is expected to be fielded by this faction.
Baba Siddiqui's political career and murder investigation
Baba was Congress MLA from Vandre from 1999-2009 and then from Vandre West from 2009-14 after redistricting. Earlier this year, he quit Congress to join the Ajit Pawar faction of NCP. Police have arrested 14 people in connection with his murder and are probing various motives including contract killing and business rivalry.
