Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh may join NCP (SP), irks leadership

MVA's unity is threatened as SP's Rais Shaikh may join NCP (SP) ahead of elections. SP leaders express concern over potential betrayal.

Mumbai: In a move that could expose cracks the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator Rais Shaikh is likely to join the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) ahead of the assembly elections. The NCP (SP) is keen to have a prominent Muslim face in its ranks and is in touch with Shaikh, who is also keen to switch his party. The development has enraged the SP leadership, which is part of the MVA as well as the INDIA bloc.

SP MLA Rais Shaikh may join NCP (SP)

Shaikh, however, denied any such prospect. “These are all rumors and I completely deny them,” he told HT when asked about his plans of jumping ship.

According to NCP (SP) insiders, the party is keen on having a Muslim face as Nawab Malik, who headed the party in Mumbai, chose to side with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP following the split in the party in July last year. The party wants to contest from the Bhiwandi East assembly seat, which Shaikh had won in 2019 as an SP candidate. “We are of the view that it is our seat and it was given to the Samajwadi Party from our quota,” said an NCP (SP) leader.

The NCP (SP) leadership is confident of winning the Bhiwandi East assembly seat because it won the Bhiwandi Lok Sabha constituency by defeating the two-term BJP MP Kapil Patil with a margin of 66,121 votes. Bhiwandi East is one of the six assembly seats in the Lok Sabha constituency.

Azmi, who heads the SP in the state, appeared unhappy with the latest development and said it would impact their association with the MVA.

“I don’t know if he is leaving our party but we are part of the MVA coalition and if NCP (SP) is taking him, then it would be a betrayal and definitely will have an impact on our alliance,” Azmi told HT.

The SP’s Maharashtra president also said that the party had decided to contest both the Bhiwandi East and Bhiwandi West assembly seats in the upcoming election.

“The Bhiwandi East assembly seat is ours. In addition, we have also decided to contest from Bhiwandi West. We have sought 12 seats as an MVA partner but have not been invited for any of the MVA meetings,” said Azmi, who was elected from the Bhiwandi East assembly seat in 2009. The SP has been contesting the seat for the last three elections.

Azmi said he had decided to field Shaikh from the Bhiwandi East seat this time too and had allowed him to control the party’s organisation in the segment. “Despite this, if he wants to go, I have no words to offer,” said Azmi.

It may be recalled that Shaikh had resigned as a member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly ahead of the Lok Sabha poll this year, saying the SP leadership had failed to resolve organisational issues. The resignation, however, was withdrawn a day later.