Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: In a key political development ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Asaduddin Owaisi, has withdrawn its alliance with a party headed by Humayun Kabir, citing concerns over remarks attributed to him.In a strongly worded statement on early Friday, AIMIM said it “cannot associate with any statements where the integrity of Muslims is brought into question,” confirming that the alliance has been ended with immediate effect. The party added that Kabir’s “revelations have shown how vulnerable Bengal’s Muslims are.”
AIMIM to go solo in Bengal
Reiterating its strategy, AIMIM announced that it will contest the upcoming elections independently, without entering into alliances. “AIMIM’s policy in contesting elections in any state is so that the marginalised communities have an independent political voice,” the party said in a post on X.The party also flagged the socio-economic condition of Muslims in the state, stating they remain “one of the poorest, neglected and oppressed communities” despite decades of governance by parties claiming a secular framework.
Kabir controversy adds to tensions
The split comes amid controversy surrounding Kabir, who was earlier expelled from the All India Trinamool Congress and later formed the Aam Janata Unnayan Party.Earlier, a video allegedly featuring a man resembling Kabir suggested plans to influence Muslim voters and discussed financial dealings linked to post-poll support. TMC shared the video on socail media and wrote, “Here is the EXPLOSIVE sting operation video that fully EXPOSES @BJP4India ’s dirty conspiracy against Bengal. In the video, Humayun Kabir openly admits that BJP PAID him Rs 1,000 crore to mislead the minority community, and claims that senior BJP leaders like Himanta Biswa Sarma, Mohan Yadav, and even the PMO were involved in this CONSPIRACY.”However, Kabir denied the allegations, claiming the video was AI-generated and part of a conspiracy to defame him.
Political context and implications
Kabir had formed his own outfit to contest the elections after a controversy over a proposal related to the Babri Masji.As per news agency ANI, political observers believe AIMIM’s decision could impact electoral dynamics in constituencies with significant minority populations, potentially leading to a multi-cornered contest. Critics argue it may split votes, while the party maintains it strengthens representation for underrepresented groups.The 294-member West Bengal Assembly will go to polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
