NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party’s Abu Asim Azmi has won the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituency in Maharashtra with a margin of 12,753 votes. The constituency has remained a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party despite competition from other political parties. It falls under the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency.
In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Azmi secured a significant victory with a margin of 69,036 votes, following a win in 2014 with a margin of 41,720 votes.
This time, the battle for Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar was primarily between Abu Asim Azmi, the three-term MLA from the Samajwadi Party; Ateeque Ahmad Khan of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM); Shiv Sena’s Suresh Patil; and Nawab Malik of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Abu Asim Azmi won with 54,780 votes, while Ateeque Ahmad Khan gave him a tough competition with 42,027 votes. Shiv Sena’s Suresh Patil is third with 35,263 votes, and Nawab Malik is fourth with just 15,501 votes, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Nawab Malik, 65, won the election from the Anushakti Nagar constituency in 2019. However, he contested the 2024 election from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar. Malik joined the NCP after parting ways with the Samajwadi Party due to alleged differences with Abu Azmi. He is known for his strong political influence, particularly within the Muslim community in Mumbai.
Notably, former MLA Nawab Malik’s daughter, Sana Malik, is leading by 3,378 votes in the Anushakti Nagar Assembly constituency with 49,341 votes. Fahad Ahmad, the NCP (SP) candidate, is trailing her with 45,963 votes.
Meanwhile, in statewide trends, the BJP is leading in 223 seats, contributing to the Mahayuti alliance’s overall lead of 228 seats. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena (SHS) is leading in 49 seats and has secured victory in 6 constituencies so far.