Suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir on Thursday escalated his attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, declaring that she will no longer remain in power after the 2026 Assembly elections.
In a strong statement targeting the Chief Minister, Kabir said to reporters, "The Chief Minister should be an ex-Chief Minister. In 2026, the Chief Minister will not become the Chief Minister, will not be sworn in, and will be branded as an ex-Chief Minister."
Kabir's remarks come hours after the TMC suspended him over his remarks in which he claimed that he would inaugurate a Babri Masjid in the state's Murshidabad district on December 6.
Earlier today, West Bengal MLA Kabir said that he will resign from the party tomorrow, and might even announce his own party on December 22.
"I will resign from TMC tomorrow. If required, I will announce a new party on December 22," the suspended party leader told reporters.
Kabir said that he had been summoned by the party district president for the meeting. "I have come here for a meeting with the district president, will give a reaction later. But I have been suspended from the party, not as an MLA, let the meeting happen first," he told reporters.
According to Kolkata Mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim, Kabir had been "warned" about his statements previously, and as such, questioning his motives, the party has suspended him.
"We noticed that one of our MLAs from Murshidabad suddenly declared that he would build the Babri Masjid. Why suddenly Babri Masjid? We already warned him. As per the decision of our party, TMC, we are suspending MLA Humayun Kabir," the Kolkata mayor and state minister said in a press conference.
Alleging a "BJP policy in promoting a divisional politics", the Kolkata Mayor said, "Why 6th December? Why did Humayun Kabir not choose another name? He can build school or college in Murshidabad."
The mayor said, "We think this is BJP policy in trying to divide Bengal by religious matter. BJP believe in divisional politics. BJP has played this type of card before elections. I think Humayun Kabir stepped up into this divisional politics."
Kabir had earlier revealed his plan to lay the foundation stone of a "Babri Masjid" in Beldanga, Murshidabad district, on December 6, day after tomorrow.
"We will lay the foundation stone of Babri Masjid on 6th December in Beldanga, Murshidabad district," he had said.
He had earlier sparked controversy by announcing that the project would take three years and that various Muslim leaders would participate. "We will lay the foundation stone of Babri Masjid on December 6 in Beldanga, Murshidabad district. It will take three years to complete. Various Muslim leaders will participate in that event," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
