Hooghly (West Bengal) [India], April 10 : Trinamool Congress MLA Arindam Guin on Friday dismissed Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir as a "traitor". He accused Kabir of colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and dividing Muslim votes ahead of the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls.
"These people knew beforehand where the money was coming from and who was giving the money. Everyone knew the intent of Humayun Kabir. Their job is to collude with the BJP and divide Muslim votes. There is no bigger traitor than Humayun Kabir," Guin told ANI.
Arindam Guin is contesting the two-phased West Bengal assembly elections scheduled to be held on April 23 and 29, on a TMC ticket from the Chapdani assembly constituency.
When asked to speak on the Asaddudin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) breaking an alliance with Kabir's AJUP, the TMC leader said that Asaduddin Owaisi was no "messiah" of Muslims.
"He is no messiah (of Muslims), he could not get a proper deal (seat-sharing arrangement), so he left," Guin said.
Kabir has been surrounded by controversy ever since he announced the formation of a Babri Masjid. He also held a foundation stone laying ceremony for the construction of the Masjid in Murshidabad. He was suspended and then expelled by the TMC for raising this issue, after which he launched a regional party.
Earlier in the day, Owaisi's AIMIM announced its decision to withdraw its alliance with the party headed by Kabir.
The announcement follows a "sting video" posted on X by the TMC, in which the AJUP chief purportedly said that he had struck a deal of "Rs 1,000 crore". AIMIM said that it raised concerns regarding the "integrity of Muslims".
Kabir, however, has denied the allegations, claiming that the video is AI-generated.
The AIMIM declared that it "cannot associate with any statements where the integrity of Muslims is brought into question," and confirmed that it has officially ended the alliance with immediate effect.
The AIMIM also used the occasion to highlight what it described as the continued socio-economic marginalisation of Muslims in West Bengal. The party stated that the community remains "one of the poorest, neglected and oppressed," despite decades of governance by parties claiming a secular political framework, including the All India Trinamool Congress and previous administrations.
"Humayun Kabir's revelations have shown how vulnerable Bengal's Muslims are. That AIMIM cannot associate with any statements where integrity of Muslims is brought into question. As of today, AIMIM has withdrawn its alliance with Kabir's party. Bengal's Muslims are one of the poorest, neglected and oppressed communities. Despite decades of secular rule, nothing has been done for them. AIMIM's policy in contesting elections in any state is so that the marginalised communities have an independent political voice. We will be contesting the Bengal elections INDEPENDENTLY and have will have no alliance with any party going forward," the AIMIM posted on X.
Reiterating its political strategy, AIMIM announced that it will contest the upcoming elections in West Bengal independently, without entering into alliances with any political party.
The polling for the 294-member assembly in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
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