West Bengal: Humayun Kabir Makes U-turn, Says Won't Quit As MLA

Murshidabad: Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir on Monday made a U-turn on his earlier stand, saying he would not resign from the West Bengal Assembly, days after laying the foundation stone of a Babri Masjid-style mosque in Murshidabad district.

"There is no question of my resignation now. I am not stepping down as MLA," Kabir, the Bharatpur legislator in Murshidabad district, told reporters, claiming that people of his constituency had asked him not to quit.

"People have elected me as their representative. They don't want me to resign. Respecting their wishes, I have withdrawn my resignation decision," he said.

Kabir had earlier announced that he would resign from the Assembly on December 17, ahead of floating a new political party on December 22.

The lawmaker had also claimed that he would formally submit his resignation after attending a standing committee meeting in Kolkata.

The ruling party has meanwhile decided to distance itself further from Kabir inside the Assembly as well. TMC leaders said his seating arrangement in the House would be changed.

Following his decision to remain an MLA, the TMC legislative party has initiated steps to shift Kabir's seat closer to the BJP benches to maintain distance from ruling party members, party sources said.

Earlier, Kabir had been allotted a front-row seat near the treasury benches due to his past ministerial status.

He had served as minister of state for animal resources after joining the TMC in 2012 from the Congress, but lost his ministerial berth following his defeat in the 2015 Rejinagar bypoll.

TMC chief whip Nirmal Ghosh said the party was monitoring the situation closely.

"A decision on the seating of suspended MLAs in the Assembly will be taken in the next few days," he told PTI.

The Bengal Assembly is expected to meet for its winter session and an interim budget session before the end of its term.

On Saturday, the suspended TMC MLA laid the foundation stone for the 'Babri Masjid-style' mosque at Beldanga in Murshidabad amid tight security, triggering sharp political reactions and deepening tensions within the ruling party.

Kabir claimed that the foundation ceremony drew an "unexpected public response", which, he said, prompted him to reconsider his decision to resign.

"I got massive support from people after the foundation stone was laid. That support has strengthened my resolve," he said.

The TMC had suspended Kabir for repeatedly defying party discipline and making provocative statements linked to the mosque project.

Despite choosing to remain an MLA, Kabir reiterated that he would go ahead with plans to launch a new political outfit later this month.

"I have not yet spoken to the Congress. CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim has taken responsibility for talks with them. There is a strong possibility of seat-sharing with Congress and Left in Murshidabad for the next Assembly polls," he claimed, adding that two more MLAs would join his proposed party, though he declined to name them.

Kabir also announced that a mass Quran recitation event would be organised in Murshidabad in response to the 'Panch Lakkho Konthe Gita Path' programme scheduled at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground on Sunday.

Reacting to Kabir's remarks, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh accused the suspended MLA of attempting communal polarisation.

"Gita is in our hearts. We oppose its political misuse. On the other hand, Humayun Kabir has tried to create poisonous communal polarisation using the name of Babri Masjid. We strongly condemn this," Ghosh said.