• Source:JND

West Bengal Assembly Election: With just a few weeks remaining in the much-hyped West Bengal Assembly election, Asaduddin Owaisi' AIMIM and former TMC leader Humayun Kabir-led Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) announced their alliance on Wednesday. Kabir formed his own party after being suspended by the Mamata Banerjee-led party for announcing the formation of Babri Mosque in Bengal. While Kabir alone was not likely to offer a major threat to the TMC, Owaisi's entry is expected to make the contest triangular.

How Relevant Are Muslims? 

Muslims account for almost 27 per cent of the total population in Bengal and also acts as a decisive factor at around 100 seats, making it one of the most politically relevant communities. The community has been a major reason behind the dominance of Mamata Banerjee's TMC in Bengal. Earlier in the 2021 Assembly election, the ruling party won 87 of 89 constituencies where the Muslim population exceeds 30 per cent.

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The TMC continued its dominance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls when it managed to win 83 per cent of Muslim votes. However, reports suggest that the community is unhappy with some of the recent steps of the Mamata Banerjee government.

- The government removed several minority groups from the OBC list, leading to dissatisfaction among the Muslim community.
- After initial resistance, the Mamata Banerjee-led government also implemented the controversial Waqf law. The minority groups pointed out that it was implemented even after the chief minister resisted it strongly.
- AIMIM's West Bengal president Imran Solanki alleged that the Muslim-dominated districts such as Malda and Murshidabad have remained underdeveloped due to the neglect from the state government.

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While these factors suggest a possible dissent, the TMC would expect similar support from the community as it eyes for the fourth straight term. The West Bengal Assembly elections will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, 2026, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4.


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