Nawab Malik Attends Assembly, Triggers Row Between BJP, Ajit Pawar

The inclusion of MLA Nawab Malik in the treasury benches of Maharashtra assembly with the Nationalist Congress Party's Ajit Pawar faction has not gone down well with ally BJP. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken to task Ajit Pawar, who gatecrashed the alliance in August.

Mr Malik, who was in jail after being accused of being in touch with the underworld, attended the assembly today after being released on bail. He sat with the Ajit Pawar faction, raising speculation that he has aligned with them.

His presence at the assembly was the big talking point on the Day One of the Winter Session and after it made headlines, Mr Fadnavis shot off a letter to Mr Pawar.

"The charges in which Nawab Malik is being accused, it will not be right to include him in the ruling alliance", sources quoted Mr Fadnavis as writing to Ajit Pawar.

In the letter, Devendra Fadnavis said "power comes and goes but the country is important".

"If the charges against them are not proved, we must welcome them. But we are of the clear opinion that it is not appropriate to make them a part of our alliance when there are such allegations against him," he is said to have added.

Earlier today, senior leader of the Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray faction, Ambadas Danve attacked the BJP and the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena, questioning how they could allow Nawab Malik to join up after accusing him of corruption for months.