Humayun Kabir launches ‘Janata Unnayan Party’

Kolkata: Days after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) suspended him over his decision to lay the foundation stone for a Babri-style mosque in Murshidabad, Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir on Monday launched his new political party, the “Janata Unnayan Party”.

Speaking at a public meeting in Murshidabad’s Beldanga, Kabir said his party will contest the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections.

He also named eight candidates who will be fielded in the polls. Kabir did not, however, divulge how many seats the party will contest in.

“We can only tell you later how many seats we will be finally contesting,” Kabir said.

He also said that he plans to contest from two Assembly seats — Rejinagar and Beldanga in Murshidabad.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, addressing a party meeting without taking the name of the new outfit, accused the BJP of trying to drive a wedge among Muslims in Bengal.

TMC’s Kunal Ghosh said: “One can form a new party in a democracy.

But the people of Bengal know that Kabir, a political migrant, had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on the BJP’s ticket. Kabir forming a new party is an attempt to divide non-BJP votes to help the saffron party.”