Maharashtra elections 2024: Nawab Malik to file nomination from Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar today, says 'won't succumb to any political pressure'

Former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik will file his nomination from the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency for the Maharashtra assembly elections today. Today is the last date for candidates to file their nominations for the Maharashtra polls. 

It, however, remains unclear whether he will contest as a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate or as an Independent. Malik on Monday said that he would not succumb to any political pressure amid reports of him being denied a ticket by the NCP due to pressure by the Mahayuti ally BJP. 

The firebrand leader said: "Nawab Malik is not someone who will succumb to any political pressure. We will not compromise our ideology. We are clear in our vision. If people think they can put me down by putting on pressure, they are mistaken."

He, however, did not mention whether he would contest the assembly election as an independent candidate or on NCP ticket. Nawab Malik will not contest from the Anushakti Nagar seat as the NCP has fielded his daughter Sana Malik from that seat.

The fight in the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar assembly seat is that of the Muslim vote as the seat has been held by Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi. He downplayed Fahad Ahmad, the candidate fielded by NCP (SP), against Sana Mailk in the constituency. 

Dubbing Ahmad's candidacy as a bid to get a "glamorous face", Malik claimed that "no one knows when he came to the city". 

Azmi, however, is in talks with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to secure at least 5 seats for his party. He even threatened to field 25 candidates across the state if the MVA does not meet his demand. 

Meanwhile, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has announced candidates for 281 out of the total 288 assembly seats. The BJP has announced candidates for 146 seats, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on 78 and Ajit Pawar's NCP on 51. 

Four seats have been left for smaller parties -- Republican Party of India (Athavale), Yuva Swabhiman Party, Jan Surajya Shakti Paksha, and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha. 

Voting for the Maharashtra assembly elections will take place on November 20 and the results will be declared on November 23.