By KUNAL CHATTERJEE
Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir has been officially suspended from the Trinamool Congress, announced Kolkata Mayor and West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim at a press conference held at Trinamool Bhavan on Thursday. Firhad was joined by two Murshidabad district leaders, State Minister of Power Akhruzzaman and Hariharpara MLA Niamat Sheikh, who supported the party’s decision as justified. However, Humayun denied receiving any formal suspension letter and vowed to respond soon.
The suspension stems from Humayun Kabir’s announcement to construct a Babri Masjid in Beldanga on December 6, coinciding with the historic demolition date of the Babri Masjid. This move sparked significant disapproval within the Trinamool leadership, who viewed this as a divisive political act and opposed the communal overtones tied to the project. Firhad Hakim emphasised that while building mosques is lawful and religious sentiments respected, exploiting such issues for political gain and communal provocation is unacceptable for the party. Kabir’s persistent stance on the mosque construction led the party to sever ties with him.
Humayun Kabir, who attended a Chief Minister’s meeting in Berhampur where he learned of his suspension, immediately left and announced plans to launch a new political party by December 22. He declared intentions to contest 135 seats, signalling a direct challenge to both Trinamool and BJP in the state.
Kabir’s contentious political journey includes multiple party affiliations and suspensions. Previously suspended in 2015 for six years, he contested and lost as an independent in 2016 before joining Congress and later BJP, contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Murshidabad. He rejoined Trinamool before the 2021 assembly polls, eventually winning from Bharatpur.
The Trinamool leadership’s patience wore thin with Humayun Kabir’s repeated controversial statements since 2021, leading to his expulsion ahead of crucial elections. Firhad Hakim warned that Humayun Kabir’s divisive politics could inadvertently strengthen BJP’s position in West Bengal.
