Baba Siddique’s Killing Revives Fears of Mumbai’s Political Crime Nexus

The killing of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique has once again exposed the dangerous intersection of politics and organized crime in Mumbai. Siddique’s murder, allegedly tied to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, mirrors the fate of other prominent Mumbai politicians such as Ramdas Nayak and Krishna Desai, who were also victims of underworld violence. From the 1970 assassination of Communist leader Desai to the 1994 killing of BJP’s Prem Kumar Sharma, Mumbai has seen a string of political murders, often orchestrated by gangsters seeking to control power or settle scores. Siddique’s death raises concerns about a resurgence of gang-related political violence after a relatively peaceful period since Datta Samant’s assassination in 1997. The Mumbai police now face mounting pressure to prevent further violence and ensure the safety of the city’s political figures.