Kolkata, 18 March (H.S.): Expelled Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Humayun Kabir on Wednesday announced the first list of 15 candidates of his newly formed Janata Unnayan Party, declaring that the outfit will contest 182 seats in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. He also said that his party will field a Muslim candidate against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from the high-profile Bhabanipur constituency.

Kabir, who was expelled from the TMC last year, has remained in the political spotlight in recent months over his proposal to construct a mosque modelled on the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district, which had triggered sharp political reactions.

Addressing a press conference, Kabir said, “We are fielding candidates in 182 seats. Today we are announcing nominees for Malda and Murshidabad. The complete list will be released on Sunday at around 1 pm.” He also indicated that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), in coordination with his party, may contest a few seats.

Kabir said his party would nominate Poonam Begum, a non-Bengali Muslim candidate, against Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur, a constituency expected to witness one of the fiercest contests of the election.

The seat is likely to see Banerjee face BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, reviving the political rivalry seen during the 2021 Assembly elections.

Political observers believe that Kabir’s decision to field a Muslim candidate in Bhabanipur could be an attempt to make inroads into the TMC’s minority vote base, even if the impact remains limited.

Kabir himself will contest from two seats in Murshidabad district — Rejinagar and Naoda. Earlier, he had won from the Bharatpur constituency as a TMC candidate. His decision to contest from two neighbouring constituencies has sparked speculation about his electoral strategy.

Among other candidates announced by the party are Bapan Ghosh from Purbasthali Uttar in Purba Bardhaman, Yasin Haidar from Kandi, and Syed Ahmed Kabir from Beldanga.

In Malda district, the party has fielded Royal Islam from Ratua, Abdul Minaz Sheikh from Maltipur, Muskura Bibi from Baishnabnagar, Abu Shaid from Manikchak, and Nasimul Haque from Sujapur.

Other nominees include Syed Khubaib Amin from Bharatpur, Anupam Rohdagir from Behala East, Imtiaz Molla from Farakka, and Bijoy Sheikh from Hariharpara.

Since his expulsion from the TMC, Kabir has been attempting to position his party as an alternative political platform, particularly in Muslim-dominated districts such as Murshidabad and Malda. However, political analysts believe the electoral impact of the new party will largely depend on whether it succeeds in splitting minority votes.

Major political parties, including the TMC, BJP and the Left parties, have already announced their candidates earlier this week, setting the stage for multi-cornered contests across the state. The entry of smaller parties and new outfits is also expected to make electoral battles more complex in several constituencies.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh