West Bengal Polls: Owaisi Supports AJUP-AIMIM Alliance to Consolidate Minority Votes
Owaisi backs AJUP-AIMIM, criticises TMC and BJP exploitation.
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and other parties in West Bengal have “used Muslims for votes” but failed to deliver on their development. He made the remarks during a poll rally at Naoda in Murshidabad district, where he campaigned in support of Humayun Kabir-led Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) candidates.
Owaisi claimed that over the past 50 years, Muslim voters had backed the Congress, Left Front, and TMC, yet the community’s socio-economic condition had not improved. “For the sake of Muslims in West Bengal getting greater representation in political decision-making and for their true development, we have joined hands with Kabir. Together, we will give a jolt to Mamata Banerjee and her party,” he asserted.
Highlighting underrepresentation, Owaisi said, “Muslims form about 30 per cent of the population here. But how many Muslims are in state government jobs? Around seven per cent. The time has come to stop the exploitation of Muslims and elect leaders from among yourselves who can ensure economic development while following India’s secular, inclusive spirit.”
Also Read: Mamata Banerjee Declares Herself Candidate Across All 294 West Bengal Seats
He accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of hypocrisy, alleging her tacit understanding with the BJP and pointing to her inaction during the Gujarat riots in the early 2000s. “Both the BJP and the TMC are the same to us. They are two sides of the same coin. Our alliance wishes Muslims to have a voice and fight for their rights,” he said, rejecting TMC claims that AIMIM and AJUP were splitting the vote to benefit the BJP.
AJUP Chief Humayun Kabir, a suspended TMC MLA, said the large turnout at the rally reflected disillusionment among Muslim voters. He also took a swipe at TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, saying, “The prince, who was born with a silver spoon and has no grassroots political experience, moves around with 100 security personnel… We will defeat his candidate by 50,000 votes.”
The AIMIM-AJUP alliance plans to contest 182 of the 294 assembly seats in West Bengal, aiming to consolidate the minority vote bank that has long been pivotal to TMC’s dominance. Elections to the 294-member assembly will be held in two phases — April 23 and April 29 — with votes to be counted on May 4.
Also Read: West Bengal Polls: Chaturvedi Predicts Mamata Banerjee to Retain CM Post
