Kolkata : Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM has called off its alliance with Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) after the ruling Trinamool Congress released a purported sting video that allegedly shows Kabir making controversial claims about Muslims in West Bengal and his ‘links’ with the BJP. The ruling party also alleged that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was part of a multi-crore plan aimed at defeating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.
The clip also allegedly captured Kabir outlining a strategy to divert minority votes away from the TMC, suggesting such a shift could electorally benefit the BJP. He is further purportedly heard referring to a Rs 1,000 crore plan, claiming that Rs 200 crore had already been received as an advance. Trinamool Congress has demanded an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the claims emerging from the video.
Kabir, however, accused the TMC leadership of orchestrating a smear campaign against him. He said he would initiate defamation proceedings against senior party leaders. Rejecting the allegations, Kabir said he had no contact with any BJP leader since November 2019. “If they can show any proof, any photograph, let them do so,” he said, naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The controversy has had immediate political fallout. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM announced that it was withdrawing its alliance with Kabir’s party following the emergence of the video. In a statement, AIMIM said it could not associate with remarks that question the integrity of Muslims and announced it would contest the West Bengal Assembly elections independently.
“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 will have no alliance with any party going forward,” it added. The development came weeks after Owaisi had announced an alliance with Kabir’s AJUP for the state polls.
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