NCP decides to reallocate Nawab Malik’s portfolios, but ‘no question’ of cabinet resignation

Malik was arrested in February by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked with fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra on Saturday decided to handover the portfolios held by party leader and cabinet minister Nawab Malik, currently in custody in a money laundering case, to other ministers of the party, news agency PTI reported.

Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik.

The NCP, however, is firm on its decision of not ousting Malik from the cabinet as demanded by the opposition party.

Malik held ministries of skills development and minority affairs in the state government. He is also the guardian minister of the Parbhani and the Gondia districts. The skills development ministry will be reassigned to state health minister Rajesh Tope and the minority affairs department to housing minister Jitendra Awhad, respectively.

Social justice minister Dhananjay Munde has been given charge of the Parbhani district. MoS for Power Prajakt Tanpure will be the new guardian minister of the Gondia district

On March 17, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar chaired a meeting with senior leaders of the party to discuss the handing over of portfolios belonging to jailed minister Nawab Malik to other colleagues.

Malik was arrested in February by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked with fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. He is currently under judicial custody. The BJP, Maharashtra's main opposition party, has been demanding Malik's resignation from the cabinet.

( With inputs from agencies)