Mahayuti Vs MVA: Fatal Attack On NCP’s Baba Siddique In Mumbai Sparks War Of Words Ahead Of Maharashtra Polls

In another war of words between the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the opposition on Sunday said the murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former minister Baba Siddique was shocking and shameful, questioning the law and order ahead of the assembly elections next month.

Siddique, 66, was waylaid by three men at Kher Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan’s office and shot at on Saturday night. He was taken to the Lilavati Hospital, where he was declared dead, as per police. Two accused — Karnail Singh from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh – have been arrested. The search for the third accused is on.

The Mahayuti is the ruling coalition of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Shinde) and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar), while the MVA comprises Sena UBT, NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Congress.

The incident has prompted the opposition to question the law and order situation in the state, where the assembly elections are expected to be held next month. “If a leader from the ruling alliance is not safe, how can the government keep the common man safe,” asked NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil. In a statement, Patil also noted that earlier, a BJP MLA in the state had opened fire in a police station, while a former corporator was killed during a Facebook live session.

The Congress demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over Siddique’s murder. Patil said Siddique’s murder is “shocking and shameful” for the state. “Atrocities against women continue in the state, while gang war has become routine in a city like Pune. It has become clear that law and order in the state has reached its lowest. If a leader from the ruling alliance is not safe, how can the government keep the common man safe?” he said.

CONGRESS, NCP, SENA UBT ATTACK

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on X: “…This horrifying incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra. The government must take responsibility, and justice must prevail.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in a post on X, said, “…Justice must be ensured, and the present Maharashtra Govt must order a thorough and transparent investigation. The culprits must be brought to book at the earliest. Accountability is paramount.”

Leader of Opposition in the assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said the murder has proved that the law and order situation in the state has reached its nadir. In a letter to the Mumbai police commissioner, the Congress leader claimed Siddique had received a threat to his life 15 days ago, and his killers are 19 to 20 years old. “Who is the mastermind? Some days ago, there was a firing outside the house of a film star. Is there any connection between Siddique’s murder and the firing?” he wrote.

Wadettiwar pointed out that Siddique was given Y-category security, which failed to protect him. He also wrote about the murder of former corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar, who was gunned down earlier this year.

All India Congress Committee in-charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala claimed Siddique’s murder shows there is “complete anarchy in Mumbai.” “The rule of law is gone. CM & Dy CM must resign immediately, taking responsibility,” he said in a post on X. “This doesn’t suit the image of the Mumbai police. I urge the police to take steps to ensure such things don’t happen again,” he said.

Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut called for the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister and state Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “If Devendra Fadnavis doesn’t resign, the governor must seek his resignation,” he said. Raut accused CM Shinde of interfering in the police’s functioning and claimed that Fadnavis couldn’t do anything. “Never before has the state home department failed in its duties,” he said. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader further alleged that while gang wars in Mumbai had ended some years ago, there was a gang war going on in the government.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said Siddique had been a former minister and a three-time MLA. The question is whether any law and order is left in Mumbai, she said. “If a protected person meets such fate, how will common people feel safe?” she asked.

Tejashwi Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and a member of Opposition’s national alliance, INDIA, posted on X: “…What name will you give to such criminal incidents that are continuously happening in Maharashtra under the NDA rule?”

NCP SCP leader Jitendra Awhad said, “The state government cannot keep anyone safe. The state government only knows how to break and buy people… I don’t know which gang is (behind this), but it is very wrong for such an incident to happen. The state government should resign…”

BJP, SHINDE SENA, NCP AJIT PAWAR’s COUNTER

Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra CM and Shinde Sena leader, said, “”This is an extremely unfortunate incident and I spoke to the doctors and police. Two people have been arrested, the accused are from UP and Haryana. The third accused is absconding. We have given instructions to Mumbai Police that strict action should be taken against those who take law and order into their hands…I am sure that Mumbai police will soon arrest the third accused…Strict action will be taken against the accused…”

Devendra Fadnavis, BJP leader, Deputy CM and state home minister, said, “…There are many angles to this whole case but only the police will be able to tell officially…”

Deputy CM and Siddique’s party leader Ajit Pawar posted on X: “I strongly urge everyone to resist the temptation to politicize this horrifying event. This is not a time for division or for exploiting the pain of others for political advantage. Right now, our focus must be on ensuring that justice is served. We will not rest until those responsible are brought to account.”

“CM Eknath Shinde ji himself is closely monitoring the investigation. Even Devendra Fadnavis ji has given a statement that no accused will be spared. It’s unfortunate that opposition parties are trying to politicise this incident. I want to tell the opposition that this is an NDA government, and no accused will go unpunished,” said BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.

Rahul Narwekar, Speaker of Maharashtra Legisla, tive Assembly, said”It’s a very unfortunate and saddening incident and I believe that the govt will take the strictest action. The legal procedure is going on, the police is doing its work, I don’t think that it’s good to create any kind of pressure over them.”

Siddique had represented Bandra (West) seat three times in the assembly. A prominent Muslim leader from Mumbai, he was known to be close to several Bollywood stars. He will be cremated at Bada Kabrastan in Marine Lines with state honours on Sunday night.