Devendra Fadnavis Criticizes Opposition in Lok Sabha Election 2024 Over Ajmal Kasab and Ujjwal Nikam admin, May 5, 2024 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis voiced his concerns over the BJP’s selection of candidate from the Mumbai North Central constituency, igniting a debate. The appointment of Ujjwal Nikam, the former special public prosecutor, as the candidate had stirred controversy in recent days. Fadnavis accused the Opposition of being worried about Ajmal Kasab and seeking to support terrorists by targeting Nikam, a claim based on Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar’s statements. The BJP had replaced sitting legislator Poonam Mahajan with Nikam, who had previously made controversial remarks about 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab. This move had sparked a heated political battle and drawn criticism from the Congress. The Congress had derided the BJP’s choice, citing Nikam’s past statement about Kasab being served biryani in prison. Wadettiwar had also caused a stir by suggesting that Kasab did not kill police officer Hemant Karkare but rather an RSS-affiliated police officer did, and labeling Nikam as a traitor who concealed this fact. Ajmal Kasab, the lone survivor of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, was imprisoned for almost four years before being executed in 2012. Nikam had previously claimed that Kasab had requested biryani while in jail, but later admitted that this was a fabrication to counter public sympathy for Kasab during the trial. Devendra Fadnavis