NCP Sana Malik expresses confidence in winning the election, despite allegations against her father

By Suchitra Mukherjee
New Delhi [India], November 3 : Sana Malik, NCP candidate from Anushakti Nagar Assembly Constituency and daughter of Nawab Malik, speaking to ANI, on Sunday exuded confidence of winning the election.
"It is a big challenge for me. When there is direct competition and the matter is to retain your father's seat, a lot of people have their eyes on the results. I have contested the elections of BMC in 2017. And when I lost that election, since then I have been working on the ground in Anushakti Nagar Vidhan Sabha seat... I am connected to the people...It is challenging as it (Anushakti Nagar Vidhan Sabha seat) is my father's seat, but I am confident as I have been working among the people for the last 7 years," she said.
On his daughter Sana Malik's candidature, NCP leader and candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Nawab Malik says, "She is an educated woman. There is a perception that Muslim women do not get many opportunities. However, she is an architect and lawyer, who has been among the people for 5 years...I am sure that she will win with a big margin..."
Notably, Bharatiya Janata Party officials said they will always oppose Malik, saying that he is accused of having relations with Dawood Ibrahim. , Sana Malik said "These allegations are not true at all and we will file a case against those of have linked my father with Dawood. He had a case of money laundering against him, but the links with Dawood are untrue. The people will answer these allegations."
Sana Malik is up against the NCP (SP) candidate Fahad Ahmed in the Anushakti Nagar constituency.
On October 26, Nawab Malik, a two-time MP from Anushakti Nagar announced that he would contest Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituency.
The Shiv sena has also expressed opposition, claiming his links with underworld don and gangster Dawood Ibrahim. The BJP is in alliance with NCP (Ajit Pawar), and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), called the Mahayuti alliance.
The other major alliance for the state's assembly election is the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising of Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP, and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23.