KolkataDecember 11, 2025 08:56 PM IST
First published on: Dec 11, 2025 at 08:55 PM IST
Three years into his first stint in the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir was expelled for six years for “anti-party activities” in 2016. Now, almost a decade and several controversies later, Kabir has been suspended from the party and labelled a “traitor” by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over his proposal to build Babri Masjid-style mosque in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.
On December 6, the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, Kabir laid the foundation for the Murshidabad replica. Two days later, on December 8, Kabir announced he would float his own outfit on December 22 and that he was in talks with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM as well as the Indian Secular Front (ISF).
Having toured the political spectrum in Bengal – launching his political career with the Congress, before joining the TMC in 2013, followed by a stint in the BJP from 2018 to 2021, before returning to the TMC in 2021 – Kabir spoke to The Indian Express about his next political steps and how he expects to fare in the election to the 294-member Assembly, slated for early next year. Excerpts:
* What are your plans for your new party?
We have already decided the structure of the new party and the name. I will float the new party on December 22 and announce the details then. I can only say that our new party will have a 75-member state committee. I have opened the doors of our party for everybody. You will see many surprises on December 22.
Both the BJP and the TMC are my enemies. I am fighting to push them out of power. I will give tickets for 135 seats, out of that 80-90 seats are minority dominated and others are Hindu dominated. My party will be secular. This party will talk about the 11.5 crore people of Bengal.
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* Are you in touch with other parties?
I am talking with many political parties. Many political leaders called me. Many political parties are also in the loop. But I will share everything after the formation of my new party.
* What are your prospects for the Assembly elections?
I am confident of winning. My speculation is that the magic figure in West Bengal is 148 Assembly seats. Neither the TMC nor the BJP will reach this magic figure. I will be the kingmaker of West Bengal. I will make Mamata Banerjee the former CM.
* What are the plans for the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad?
The mosque will resemble the structure of the Babri Masjid in UP. We will build a hospital, university, medical college, park, helipad and many more things in the mosque premises of 25 bighas. We have already got more than Rs 3 crore in donations.
* But some people have questioned the sources of your funding.
The BJP and their leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave money to Mamata Banerjee to found the TMC. (TMC leader) Mukul Roy told me that the company behind the Saradha chit fund scam lifted Rs 1,600 crore from the market and gave Mamata Banerjee Rs 500 crore to fight elections. Mukul da said that to atone for his sins he joined the BJP. Ask (the TMC) from where Mamata Banerjee got the money.
* In some quarters, you have been accused of engaging in communal politics.
Some parties are misleading Muslims and some parties are misleading Hindus, but I am not. We will create a party that will fight against both the BJP and TMC. Anybody is welcome in our party and also in our coalition. What has the TMC done for Muslims except use our votes, push our boys into crime, and make them the accused in cases? Madrasa teachers aren’t being recruited in this era at all. Is that justice?
* Mamata Banerjee has called you a “Mir Jafar gaddar (Mir Jafar-like traitors)”. What is your response?
Who is a traitor and who is lying, I will share everything when I campaign during the elections.
* Were you surprised that the TMC suspended you?
Ask (TMC minister) Siddiqullah Chowdhury and (Kolkata mayor and state minister) Firhad Hakim about this. I had announced the construction of the new Babri Masjid on December 12, 2024, while still a TMC MLA. Why did no TMC leader care then? Because they did not take me seriously.
* You have been a member of the Congress, the TMC, and the BJP, and now you are forming your own party. How do you see your political journey?
I am not tired of this journey, I am not perturbed either. I am optimistic that my journey will end in success. I will be able to do more work for the people of Bengal, and I will be able to change this government.
* Recently, you have hired private security. Why?
I need security because from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, I received threat calls. I am not afraid but my supporters are saying to increase security. I have already hired private security from Hyderabad and also will appeal to the Calcutta High Court for more security soon.