Kolkata, 09 April (H.S.): Ahead of the two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday levelled serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that it had entered into a Rs 1,000 crore deal with its former MLA Humayun Kabir and his newly formed Aam Aadmi Unnayan Party to divide minority votes in key constituencies.

Senior TMC leaders Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas and party state general secretary Kunal Ghosh made the allegations during a joint press conference, where they also released a purported voice recording. In the audio clip, Kabir is allegedly heard speaking to an unidentified person.

However, the authenticity of the audio recording could not be independently verified.

The recording was released at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing a major election rally in Haldia in Purba Medinipur district. The Prime Minister had three rallies scheduled in the state that day.

In the purported audio clip, Kabir is allegedly heard saying that if the BJP succeeds in consolidating a majority of Hindu votes, he would play a role in splitting Muslim votes to help unseat the TMC government in the state.

He is also allegedly heard saying that if the BJP forms the government in West Bengal, he and his party would extend full support to the new Chief Minister.

The recording further purportedly suggests that Kabir claimed to be in contact with Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

Addressing the press conference, Firhad Hakim said Kabir should not assume that minority voters are naive. He alleged that Kabir might compromise with the BJP for money, but ordinary minority voters would not.

There has been no immediate response from Humayun Kabir regarding the allegations.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh