‘The minority vote will come’ to his new party in 2026, Kabir said. (Express Photo)
With the Bengal Assembly elections approaching, suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir on Monday said minority votes in 2026 would shift to his new outfit, the Janata Unnayan Party (JUP).
“In 2026, the minority vote will come to us. Mamata Banerjee will not get it. The minority wants their own representative. If required, I will give 200 candidates and 90 will be Muslim candidates. In 2026, it will be Hindus versus Muslims. Suvendu is doing Hindu politics and Mamata is also doing Hindu appeasement — Jagannath, Durga Carnival, Durga Puja doles,” he said.
“I will be the leader for Muslims. In 2026, the division between Hindu and Muslim votes will come out clearly in the open. Our main target is the Muslim vote,” Kabir said.
Kabir alleged that the police began “targeting” him after he laid the foundation stone for a Babri-style mosque in Murshidabad. “Since the day I laid the foundation stone for the Babri-style masjid, the police have been after me. Why is there no role of the police today when the Chief Minister lays the foundation stone of a Durgaangan? I will start construction once all paperwork is completed,” he said.
Responding to TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s comment that those building religious places should do so “outside politics”, Kabir said, “If this suggestion is for me, then it should also apply to his aunt (Mamata Banerjee).”
A day after Saktipur police detained Kabir’s son Ghulam Nabi Azad, popularly known as Robin — who was later released — on allegations of assaulting Kabir’s personal security officer (PSO), Kabir said, “They attempted to slap non-bailable sections but could not. I spoke to the officers and then they became a bit soft. Anyone can make allegations against me and my son, but without notice how can they come to my residence with such force? They could not give any answer.”
He added, “We are used to all this. Let them take the CCTV footage; they are investigating and experts were also brought.”
Alleging harassment of his family, Kabir said, “If anyone thinks that by getting orders from Calcutta, they will file false cases against me or my party workers in 27 police stations in Murshidabad, they are wrong. In Lalgola, police have been roaming around my daughter’s in-laws’ place with measuring tape for the last four days. They have five properties. Let them touch my son-in-law, my daughter or their properties. What I have said, I will do. I will take the police to task.”
Questioning the use of government funds for Durgaangan projects, Kabir said, “Government money cannot be spent like this. Why is the BJP quiet now? Why are they not going to court? Then it must be understood that Mamata Banerjee and the BJP have some understanding. The state administration is completely spineless and will act only on the Chief Minister’s orders.”
Curated by James Chen
