The Aryavarth Express
Asansol (West Bengal):
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Shatrughan Sinha has downplayed the political impact of suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir’s newly launched party, the Janata Unnayan Party, ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Sinha said Kabir’s move would not affect the electoral outcome, drawing a parallel with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s previous foray into Bengal politics. “I don’t think it will make any particular difference. Last time, Asaduddin Owaisi also visited Bengal and made serious efforts. We all know the results,” Sinha said, adding that the people of the state remain firmly behind Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, AIMIM contested six of the 294 seats but failed to win any.
Sinha further asserted that Mamata Banerjee enjoys the full trust of the public and will return to power with an even bigger mandate. He criticised the central government for allegedly withholding nearly ₹2 lakh crore in dues to West Bengal, saying voters are closely watching these developments. “The public trusts Mamata Banerjee. This time, she will win more seats than last time,” he said.
Humayun Kabir, meanwhile, launched the Janata Unnayan Party with strong rhetoric, claiming that the TMC would be wiped out in Murshidabad district. Challenging Mamata Banerjee, Kabir said she would fail to win even a single seat there. He also warned the BJP, claiming he could win 100 seats if the party contested 200 constituencies.
Kabir was suspended from the TMC after making controversial remarks about inaugurating a Babri Masjid in Murshidabad on December 6. Defending himself, he said the Constitution gives him the right to build a mosque.
The next West Bengal Assembly elections are expected in March–April 2026, when Mamata Banerjee’s current term ends. In the 2021 polls, the TMC-led alliance won 215 seats, while the NDA secured 77, emerging as the principal opposition.
