Zeeshan Siddiqui appointed Mumbai NCP president by Sunetra Pawar

MUMBAI: The

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sunetra Pawar, has appointed

Zeeshan Siddiqui as president of its Mumbai unit, signalling a generational shift in the party’s city leadership while also carrying significance for its outreach to the Muslim community.

Siddiqui, son of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, takes charge at a time when the party is looking to strengthen its connect with younger voters. His appointment also assumes political significance amid the NCP’s alliance with the BJP as part of the Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra. By elevating a Muslim leader to a key organisational position in Mumbai, the party could seek to signal that it continues to value the community despite its association with the BJP.

Baba Siddique was shot dead on October 12, 2024, outside his son’s party office in Bandra.

The appointment marks another significant step in Zeeshan Siddiqui’s political career after a setback in the November 2024 assembly elections, when he lost from the Bandra East constituency. He returned to the legislature in May 2026 after being elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC).

Reacting to his appointment, Siddiqui said the responsibility would require him to work with party members and people across communities.

“Being appointed as the President of the Nationalist Congress Party for Mumbai is a massive responsibility. Sunetra Pawar and Parth Pawar—who is like an elder brother to me—have given me this opportunity and entrusted me with the responsibility for Mumbai. It is now my duty to work alongside the entire NCP family and serve people from every section of society. My goal is to engage the youth, connect with the elderly, and work with our senior members,” he said.

A senior NCP leader said the party had been weighing changes in its Mumbai unit and that Siddiqui’s name had emerged as a strong contender for the post.

His elevation gives him a key organisational role in Mumbai, where the party faces the challenge of expanding its support base among younger voters while maintaining its outreach to minority communities.