BMC poll preparations: NCP looks to appoint working president for Mumbai to fill in for Malik

With party president Sharad Pawar not willing to seek Malik’s resignation following the latter’s arrest in a money laundering case, sources say that the party may appoint a working president for Mumbai instead of a full-time president.

Malik was arrested on February 23 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is currently behind bars.

Insiders feel that his absence will not only hit them in the civic polls but will hamper the NCP’s communication as well as Malik was the key face of the party.

NCP leader and minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Chhagan Bhujbal, who started his career as a corporator in the BMC, said, “Our party chief Sharad Pawar saheb and state chief Jayant Patil will take a call on the replacement.”

While Bhujbal is not keen to supervise the BMC elections in absence of Malik, sources in the NCP say that Rakhi Jadhav – the group leader of the NCP for Mumbai — could be considered for the post of working president. Jadhav is a three-time corporator from Ghatkopar and hails from Mahad.

Another name that is being considered is Narendra Rane, who once headed the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust.

NCP Mumbai General Secretary Milind Yavatkar said, “Our membership drive is on and we will face BMC polls soon. We need an ad-hoc Mumbai president in the NCP to fight the BJP and win more seats.’’

Fighting the BMC polls alone, the NCP had contested 122 seats of which it won nine (one got disqualified) in 2017. While the Congress has already announced that it will go solo in the forthcoming BMC polls, there have been talks of the NCP and the Shiv Sena going for a pre-poll alliance.

NCP insiders said that in the absence of Malik, “a strong leader” is needed. Malik had started his career as a corporator and is well-versed with the working of BMC.

With Malik away, there is a crisis in the NCP’s communication department too. Though Mahesh Tapase was the chief spokesperson for Maharashtra, it was Malik who used to decide on the party’s stand after consultation with Pawar, insiders said.

NCP state spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, “At present, Nawab bhai is not there. The rest of the spokespersons in the NCP will continue the work of bringing out the party’s stand and highlighting the wrongdoings of the BJP. Even in Mumbai NCP, the groundwork and plans for civic elections will be carried out by Mumbai NCP Committee and its cadre.’’

Another spokesperson said, “Earlier, Nawab bhai used to give us a line on which we used to talk. Now on several occasions, there are disagreements between the spokespersons.’’