Why Baba Siddique was such an important figure in Mumbai politics

A few nights ago, most news channels carried the headline: Former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique shot dead. While the headline was factually and grammatically correct, it failed to capture the full picture of Siddique's influence, akin to describing Raghu Karnad as Salman Khan’s co-star in Ek Tha Tiger. To truly understand Baba Siddique’s impact, one must consider his enormous influence on Mumbai politics, and by extension, Bollywood.
This was highlighted in a 2014 video where Salman Khan and then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi addressed an audience in Gujarat, urging them to vote for the “best man.” Salman Khan emphasised that his “best men” in the Bandra assembly were Baba Siddique and Priya Dutt. It's no surprise that Salman Khan was one of the first to offer condolences and rushed to Lilavati Hospital after Siddique's tragic death.

Siddique's Iftar parties were legendary, regularly attended by the who's who of Bollywood and Mumbai politics. It was at one of these gatherings in 2013 that he orchestrated a remarkable peacekeeping mission—arguably more challenging than resolving global conflicts—by reconciling Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan after five years of estrangement. Their feud, reportedly sparked at a 2008 party when SRK declined to do a cameo for Salman, had escalated to the point of a physical altercation, leaving them on non-speaking terms for half a decade. He would always downplay his role in that conflict, adding: "They both wanted it. Allah shows the way. I had no role to play." This reconciliation underscored Siddique’s immense influence in Bollywood.
The late Sunil Dutt saw him as a second son, and Siddique was virtually untouchable in his Vandre (Bandra) West constituency. He would go on to mentor Priya Dutt, Dutt's daughter, who frequently contested and won from Mumbai West Lok Sabha Constituency. Later, his son Zeeshan would represent Vandre (Bandra) East.
Siddique’s political journey began in the late 1970s when he joined the Indian National Congress (INC). By 1980, he had risen to General Secretary for Bandra Taluka in the Bandra Youth Congress, and within two years, he was elected president. In 1988, he became president of the Mumbai Youth Congress.
His career advanced in 1992 when he was elected as a Municipal Councillor for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, a position he held for two consecutive terms. By 1999, Siddique had become the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Vandre (Bandra) West, a seat he successfully defended in 2004 and 2009, serving three consecutive terms.
From 2000 to 2004, he served as Chairman of the MHADA Mumbai Board, appointed by the Maharashtra government. Later, between 2004 and 2008, he held the position of Minister of State for Food & Civil Supplies, Labour, FDA, and Consumer Protection. In 2011, Siddique also contributed to the development of an Eco-Garden in the Bandra-Khar region.
Towards the end of his tenure in the Congress, things became increasingly difficult for Siddique, who felt the party had treated him like "curry leaves used to enhance the taste of food." His son Zeeshan, also targeted in the assassination attempt, claimed earlier that Rahul Gandhi’s aides had fat-shamed him, suggesting he needed to lose 10 kilos to walk alongside Rahul Gandhi.
Remarkably, despite his significance, there has yet to be a comprehensive obituary for one of Mumbai’s most influential figures, a man renowned for brokering peace between individuals from opposing sides of the political spectrum. In his own way, Baba Siddique was a peacekeeper par excellence, deftly managing the various power centres that kept Mumbai running.