Humayun Kabir Seeks Political Tie-Up With TVK Against Minority Persecution

Kolkata: Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir on Saturday said he will visit Tamil Nadu after the October 6 Rejinagar by-election to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for "political coordination" with TVK to raise voice against "minority persecution".

The former TMC leader, who shot to national prominence after proposing he would construct a Babri Masjid-style mosque in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, said he would also visit New Delhi after the bypoll, which his son Golam Nabi Azad is contesting, to meet the BJP's central leaders and raise grievances about the party's state unit.

"I will visit Tamil Nadu after the by-election and speak with the chief minister. I want to work with his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), as a partner while keeping my own party intact," he told reporters.

"My objective is to work together with a six-month-old party to speak out against policies of the BJP, especially against persecution of the minority community," he added.

Kabir said he was inclined to work with a relatively new political force rather than turning to established parties.

He also ruled out an understanding with the TMC, describing the party as "directionless" and saying he had no intention of rejoining it.

On his proposed visit to the national capital, he said, "I will go to Delhi and meet the BJP central leaders and place before them what is happening in West Bengal. I will raise the issue of how the state BJP is using the state administration against my party."

The legislator, however, stressed that his proposed meeting with BJP central leaders should not be interpreted as an indication that his party was preparing to merge with or join the BJP.

He said AJUP would retain its independent political identity while exploring political cooperation with different parties and raising, what he described as, "issues of democratic rights and administrative excesses".

Kabir, who represents neighbouring Nowda constituency, has accused the West Bengal government and police of harassing his party workers, obstructing his campaign in Rejinagar and making arbitrary arrests.

He has alleged that the police was not acting neutrally and was working at the behest of the BJP, a charge dismissed by the ruling party.

Kabir has already approached the Election Commission with complaints over alleged harassment of his workers and also moved the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. He has maintained that despite these interventions, the situation has not changed.

He alleged the BJP is keen to win the Rejinagar bypoll and was using the police and administration in an "unethical" manner to put pressure on his party.

"My party workers and supporters are being subjected to injustice. Their democratic rights are being taken away through harassment and arrests are being made without any reason," he alleged.

Kabir's allegations come after he announced he would stay away from ground-level campaigning in Rejinagar, claiming his workers were being targeted by the police. He said he would instead use social media to reach out to voters and promote his party's 'table' symbol.

The Rejinagar by-election was necessitated after Kabir resigned from the seat and retained Nowda. He had won both constituencies in the assembly elections in April. He subsequently fielded his son in Rejinagar.

The contest in Rejinagar has turned into a multi-cornered battle involving the BJP, two factions of the TMC, Congress and AJUP, among others, in a constituency with a large minority electorate.