Humayun Kabir – the suspended Trinamool Congress MLA announced his plans to launch a new political party on Monday. The Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) flag – which Kabir he said will soon “fly across Bengal” – would be unveiled later in the day.
Kabir kicked up a storm ahead of next year’s West Bengal election after his ‘Babri Masjid-style’ mosque in Murshidabad district led to a ‘temple vs mosque’ row.
Kabir also said his preferred choices for the JUP’s symbol are a table and twin roses. Posters have come up in Beldanga announcing that Kabir will announce a new party at Khagrupara More at Beldanga on 22 December. Kabir said that his party would provide a platform to the marginalised people of the state.
Earlier, before announcing the name of his party, the MLA had said that he was willing to ally with the CPI(M), the Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF).
“I am inviting those who are against Mamata Banerjee and the BJP to join hands. I am ready to share seats. But if someone thinks he is bigger than everyone, then I will fight alone. If necessary, I will contest all the seats in West Bengal,” Kabir said on Sunday.
Kabir was suspended by the Trinamool Congress on December 4, and on December 11, he laid the foundation stone for ‘Babri’ Masjid.
He had earlier asserted that he would emerge as a “kingmaker” after the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal, claiming that no government could be formed without the support of his political outfit.
Kabir said his estimate suggested that no party would cross the 148-seat mark in the 294-member assembly.
“I will be kingmaker after the elections. No one can form a government without my support,” Kabir told reporters on Tuesday.
“I have said that I will contest in 135 seats. You will see that the party I form will win so many seats that whoever goes to take oath as the chief minister will need the support of my party’s MLAs,” he said.
The TMC, last week, suspended him for repeatedly defying party discipline and making provocative statements linked to the project.
Earlier, Kabir had indicated that he would resign as an MLA following the suspension, but on Monday made a sharp U-turn, stating that he would not quit the assembly.
Despite choosing to remain a legislator, Kabir reiterated that he would go ahead with his plans to float a new political outfit later this month and explore electoral alliances.
“I have not yet spoken to the Congress. CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim has taken responsibility for talks with them. There is a strong possibility of seat-sharing with the Congress and the Left in Murshidabad for the next assembly polls,” he claimed.
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