MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sunetra Ajit Pawar on Wednesday appointed MLC Zeeshan Siddique, son of late Baba Siddique, as the party’s Mumbai divisional president.Siddique pledged to carry forward the legacy of his late father, Baba Siddique, and the vision of late party stalwart Ajit Pawar, outlining a roadmap to revive the party’s urban base. He described his new role as both an emotional duty and a defining political responsibility.Speaking to ANI in Mumbai, Siddique thanked Sunetra Pawar and senior party leader Parth Pawar for placing their trust in him to lead the city unit, while recalling the legacy of his father and Ajit Pawar.“It is a tremendous responsibility to be appointed as the Mumbai President of the Nationalist Congress Party. Sunetra Pawar Vahini Saheb and Parth Pawar dada, who is like an elder brother to me, have placed their faith in me. It is my duty to work for all sections and communities of society, connect youth and senior citizens, and expand the NCP family,” Siddique said.
Appointment letter
Siddique also hinted at possible political realignments in Mumbai, claiming that several political workers, including many from the Congress, had been waiting for his formal appointment before joining the NCP.“Many people from across parties, including several from the Congress, have been waiting to join our ranks once this responsibility was assigned. We will formulate a comprehensive roadmap to breathe new life into the Mumbai unit and ensure the NCP flag flutters across every corner of the city,” he asserted.“I remember my late father Baba Siddique ji today, as well as the vision that the late Ajit Pawar dada had for Mumbai. I will walk in their footsteps and work tirelessly to prove the leadership’s trust right ahead of the upcoming elections,” he added.Asked about the political controversy surrounding the delay in releasing the investigation report into the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar, Siddique called for an impartial and comprehensive inquiry into the tragedy.“Today marks exactly nine months since the passing of Ajit Pawar dada. Irrespective of what political spokespersons say, we all hold him as our mentor and guru. It is our collective demand that a comprehensive and fair investigation must be carried out to bring out the complete truth,” Siddique said.On the Bombay high court granting interim relief to Bollywood actor Imran Khan by staying the ‘Leave India’ deportation notice until November 2, Siddique declined to comment on the specifics of the case.“The matter is currently sub judice before the court, so I will not comment on the specifics. We have full faith in the judiciary and will respect whatever decision the court arrives at,” Siddique said.(With inputs from ANI)
