
NCP's Nawab Malik said on Sunday that anything can happen in Maharashtra after assembly election results, but added that Ajit Pawar will play a key role in the formation of government. The NCP is part of Mahayuti, which comprises Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"There is a very tough competition in Maharashtra. We cannot predict who will get the majority. There is an alliance of 3 parties on both sides. So, Ajit Pawar will play a big role in the formation of the government," he said while speaking to the news agency ANI.
But when told that Ajit Pawar is part of Mahayuti so naturally it will form the government if numbers come, Malik said anything can happen after result, suggesting that Pawar may change the sides. "In 2019, who was with whom and who went with whom? Did anyone predict what would happen in 2019? So, anything can happen in Maharashtra," Malik said in an apparent reference to Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, which was in pre-poll alliance with BJP but after results, formed the government with Congress and NCP.
"Anything can happen at the result time and Ajit Pawar will play a key role in that. No one can neglect the fact that Ajit Pawar will play the role of kingmaker in Maharashtra," the NCP leader said. Nawab Malik is NCP's candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar.
There has been tension in Mahayuti over Nawab Malik's candidature in the assembly polls. The BJP had objected to Malik's candidature due to his alleged links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devender Fadnavis has openly admitted that there is a problem with NCP over Malik. He has also said that the BJP will not support Malik in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, where Eknath Shinde's Sena has also fielded its candidate.
The BJP is contesting 148 seats, while Shinde Sena on 82 and NCP 55. In the last elections, the BJP had contested 152 and undivided Shiv Sena 124. The undivided NCP, which was part of the UPA alliance, contested on 125.