A politician with strong Bollywood connections

Slain politician Ziauddin, alias Baba Siddique, who was killed on Saturday by three gunmen outside his son’s office in Mumbai, was a former Maharashtra minister and served as an MLA from Bandra (West) for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2009.

Siddique, who had joined the Congress in 1977 as a teenager, was initiated into the party by actor and politician Sunil Dutt. In February this year, Siddique quit the Congress to join the NCP (Ajit Pawar). His son Zeeshan Siddique is currently an MLA from Mumbai. He was expelled from the Congress in August.

The 66-year-old former minister was a prominent Muslim leader and a well-known figure in Bollywood circles. He had a close association with several stars, including Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Dutt.

Considered close to the Dutt family, Siddique had even mentored Sunil Dutt’s daughter Priya Dutt when she ventured into politics.

He had earned praise for supplying life-saving medicines to patients during Covid. He was also known for his grand Iftar parties which were attended by top Bollywood stars and politicians.

Siddique was also instrumental in ensuring a patch-up between Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan during one of his Iftar parties, after the two actors were involved in a cold war for around three years.

While quitting the Congress, Siddique had not cited any reason and only said “some things are better left unsaid.” With his joining the NCP, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP had received a boost ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

NCP leaders were banking on Siddique to be instrumental in spreading the party’s wings in Mumbai, especially in Muslim-dominated wards for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections.

With his death, the ruling Mahayuti government suffered a setback, especially in the Mumbai region, where the Shiv Sena (UBT) has a strong influence. It remains to be seen how Siddique’s death impacts the political fortunes of both the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi in Mumbai during the forthcoming Assembly elections.

In 1980, Siddique became general secretary of the Bandra Taluka Youth Congress, and by 1982, he had risen to the post of president, a role he held until 1992. In 1988, he was elected president of the Mumbai Youth Congress. His political career advanced further when in 1992, he was elected as a councillor in the BMC. Siddique was elected as an MLA for three successive terms. From 2004-2008, he was Maharashtra MoS for Food & Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection.