Who Was Baba Siddique? All You Need To Know About NCP Leader Shot Dead In Mumbai

Former Maharashtra Minister and Ajit Pawar-led NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

As per the preliminary information, three to four people fired two-three rounds of gunshots at the NCP leader outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddiqui’s office near Colgate ground in Nirmal Nagar, Bandra (East). He was immediately taken to Lilavati Hospital, where he died shortly after arrival.

“Two to three rounds were fired. Further probe is underway as teams have rushed to the area,” news agency PTI reported citing an official.

Siddique had received a death threat just 15 days ago and was provided ‘Y’ category security.

Who Was Baba Siddique?

Baba Siddique, originally from Bihar, joined  the grand-old party as a teenager. His political career began as a teenager when he joined the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), which is the student wing of the Indian National Congress.

Shortly after, he was elected as the Municipal Corporator in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. He served as an MLA from Vandre West Vidhan Sabha Constituency for three consecutive terms in 1999, 2004 and 2009, and had also served as a Minister of State for Food & Civil Supplies, Labour and FDA.

He pulled a big switcheroo in February this year when he resigned from the primary membership of the Congress and joined the Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar.

Reflecting on his departure, Siddique remarked, “My condition in the Congress was like how curry leaves are used to enhance the taste of food. I was treated like that in the Congress Party.”

Siddique’s son, Zeeshan, served as a Congress MLA representing Mumbai’s Bandra (East) assembly constituency, however, he was expelled from the party in August for alleged anti-party activities.

Siddique, also known as Bandra Boy, was known for his grand Iftar parties which were attended by top Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan.

Siddique was also credited for ending the high-profile rift between Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. As per the reports, both the superstars were involved in a heated argument in 2008. After the incident, the duo avoided running into each other at big events. However, In 2013, the feud came to an end at Siddique’s Iftar Party which was attended by prominent personalities in the industry. Both the Khans came under the same roof after a long time and hugged each other and ended their half-a-decade-long beef.

Despite his limited connection to the film industry, his ability to bring two of its biggest stars together after such a bitter feud cemented his place in the entertainment world.