Owaisi, Kabir alliance offers alternate to Muslims in Bengal
The Statesman | 26 March 2026
Adding to the high octane political drama in the poll-bound state, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder Humayun Kabir pitched their alliance as a strong political alternative for the Muslims in West Bengal.
Affirming a strong alliance between the Hyderabad-based AIMIM and the recently formed Janata Unnayan Party, the duo emphasised the strategic partnership that they claimed would be continued in the days to come. During a joint Press conference this morning, the JUP leader expressed admiration for the AIMIM chief calling him his elder brother while Mr Owaisi stressed upon a strong political alternative for the members of the minority community. “Our full effort in this poll is to bring up a leadership of the Muslim community and strengthen it further because the government data shows that states without a Muslim minority leadership have very poor human development indicators and this has an organic connection with the political independent relationship,” said the AIMIM leader.
Lambasting the TMC government, Mr Owaisi raised questions on representation of Muslims in the government jobs. He alleged that despite a minority population of about 30 per cent, there is hardly any representation of Muslims in government jobs in the state of West Bengal. “How much Muslim representation is there? Only 7 per cent! How many Muslim boys and girls are not able to complete graduation? In Malda and Murshidabad, the water is so filthy and has arsenic.”
He further claimed that these issues were directly connected to political leadership. “For many years, the TMC took our (minority) vote and said that the leadership is yours. But what they (TMC) did on the ground was just offer Eid namaz. Will that give us food or education for our children?”
Raising the issue of cancellation of five lakh OBC certificates in which many Muslim certificates were cancelled, Owaisi said it was the fault of the current government, and also alleged that with a minority population of close to 30 per cent in Bengal, there is hardly any representation in government jobs.
Responding to the allegations of being the B team of the BJP, Mr Owaisi said,” We are the entire team of Muslims. We are the M-team.”
Meanwhile, Mr Kabir informed about the poll campaign plans of the party. “Together with the AIMIM there will be 20 political programmes starting from Berhampur on the first April. In the forthcoming elections to be held in two phases, we follow the suggestions of our elder brother.”
Launching the symbol of a whistle for his party, the former TMC leader informed that the AIMIM would field candidates on 10 seats while the JUP will contest from 182 seats.