Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir to launch new party, challenge Mamata

Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir will launch a new political party on December 22 to challenge Mamata Banerjee in the 2026 Bengal polls. He also laid the foundation stone for a Babri Masjid in Murshidabad, citing constitutional rights.

Ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir on Wednesday announced that he will unveil a new political party on December 22. Kabir declared that he intends to directly challenge West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party in the upcoming polls. Speaking to ANI, Kabir said, "I will announce a new party on December 22. I will field candidates against Mamata Banerjee's party. Whoever becomes the CM, they will have to take Humayun Kabir's support for it to happen," he added.

MLA Lays Foundation for Babri Masjid

Meanwhile, suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir on December 6 laid the foundation stone for the construction of Babri Masjid in Murshidabad. He drew attention to the constitutional right to build places of worship and said that he is not doing anything unconstitutional, "as anyone can make a temple or church, so can I". Clause (a) of Article 26 in the Indian Constitution grants every religious denomination the fundamental right "to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes". This is subject to public order, morality and health.

Addressing the gathering in Murshidabad, Kabir said, "I am not doing anything unconstitutional. Anyone can build a temple, anyone can build a church; I will build a mosque. It is being said that we cannot build the Babri Masjid. It is not written anywhere. The Supreme Court gave a judgment which stated that the Hindu people had demolished the Babri Masjid. Considering the sentiments of Hindus, the decision was taken to build a temple here. Now we see someone laying the foundation stone for a Ram Temple in Sagardighi. But the Constitution allows us to build a mosque."

BJP Accuses Mamata of Fuelling Polarisation

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of deliberately fuelling religious polarisation in the state by allowing suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir to polarise Muslims. The BJP questioned the delay in Kabir's suspension, pointing out that he had earlier made statements threatening Hindus, saying Muslims constitute 70 per cent and Hindus merely 30 per cent in the district. They alleged that the move was politically motivated rather than a religious initiative, and warned that Mamata Banerjee's inaction could risk instability in the state.

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