Maharashtra Ex-Minister Baba Siddique shot dead

Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister and member of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP, has passed away after being shot at Mumbai’s Bandra.

Sources said the shooters fired six bullets around 9.30 pm on Saturday near the office of Mr Siddique’s son Zeeshan, who is the MLA from Bandra East. Two people have been arrested.

Baba Siddique was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital. Sources said four bullets hit the 66-year-old NCP leader and one of his aides also suffered a gunshot wound. The firing took place on Dussehra and came months ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, which are expected to be held later this year.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he had spoken to police and doctors at the hospital. “The incident is extremely unfortunate. There are reports that he (Mr Siddique) has died. Two people have been arrested, one from Uttar Pradesh and one from Haryana, while another is on the run. I have asked the police to take strict action and ensure no one takes law and order into their hands. A gang-war-like situation should not be allowed to resurface in Mumbai,” he said in Marathi.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, has reached the hospital. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar wrote on X that he was shocked to know about Mr Siddique’s death and that he had lost a good colleague and friend.

Mr Siddique, who was a three-time MLA from Bandra West, was associated with the Congress for 48 years and had quit the party in February and joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP. Zeeshan Siddique was expelled from the Congress in August.

Expressing his shock, NCP Spokesperson Brijmohan Shrivastav that Mr Siddique had not spoken about any threats from anybody.

Mr Siddique was elected as an MLA from the Bandra West constituency in 1999, 2004 and 2009 and served as a minister of state for food and civil supplies, labour and FDA between 2004 and 2008.

The former MLA was known not just for his political acumen but also for hosting lavish parties. A cold war between superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan was resolved at an ‘iftar’ party hosted by Mr Siddique in 2013.

(With inputs from NDTV)