In a major setback to the Mumbai Congress, former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique has announced his decision to join the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar. This comes just weeks after senior party leader Milind Deora also left the Congress to join Shiv Sena. Siddique, a prominent Muslim face of the Mumbai Congress, expressed his discontent with his treatment in the party, likening it to being treated as "curry leaves" that are used to enhance the taste of food.

The 66-year-old politician dealt a severe blow to the Congress, a party he had been associated with for the past 48 years, when he tendered his resignation on Thursday. Although Siddique described the decision as a painful one, he asserted that some choices need to be made. During his time in the Congress-NCP coalition, he served as a minister while they led the Maharashtra government.

Siddique's departure marks the second high-profile exit from the Mumbai Congress in the span of a month, following Milind Deora's move to Shiv Sena in January. Prior to his departure, Siddique had already decided to join the NCP, stating that he would align himself with the Ajit Pawar group. In a meeting with Praful Patel, a close aide of Ajit Pawar and the present working president of the NCP, it was decided that Siddique would work in the NCP under Pawar's leadership.

Expressing his sentiments towards the Congress, Siddique released a statement saying, "I joined the Indian National Congress party as a young teenager and it has been a significant journey lasting 48 years." However, he made it clear that he was resigning from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress Party with immediate effect. Though Siddique's son Zeeshan is currently a Congress MLA, Siddique refrained from speculating on whether his son would follow in his footsteps.

The latest development comes following the Election Commission's recognition of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP as the real NCP, ending months of speculation surrounding the factional fight with Sharad Pawar, the party's founder and Ajit Pawar's uncle. Siddique's move to the NCP indicates a significant shift in the political landscape of Maharashtra, further cementing the NCP's position in the ruling coalition.

In addition to his political career, Baba Siddique is widely known for hosting grand Iftar parties attended by Bollywood stars such as Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. As he embarks on this new chapter in his political journey, Siddique's decision will undoubtedly have repercussions on both the Congress and the NCP in the days to come.