In a high-voltage development ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Sharing the stage with TMC’s disgruntled MLA Humayun Kabir, Owaisi asserted that the Muslim community in Bengal is in dire need of its own independent political leadership, rather than being treated as a mere vote bank by the ruling party.

Owaisi dug into the past to expose what he called Mamata’s “political flip-flops.” He reminded the audience of the time when Somnath Chatterjee was the Speaker and Mamata Banerjee had staged a protest in Parliament over the issue of infiltration. “It is Mamata Banerjee who allowed the BJP to expand its footprint in Bengal. Under her watch, they grew from just 3 seats to 77,” Owaisi claimed, holding the TMC chief responsible for the rise of the saffron party in the state.

The Hyderabad MP also took a sharp dig at the induction of former BJP leader Babul Supriyo into the TMC. He questioned whether joining the TMC acts as a “washing machine” that cleanses one’s past. “Should we forget the hate speeches made by Babul Supriyo just because Mamata has given him a cabinet berth?” Owaisi asked. By keeping Humayun Kabir by his side, Owaisi has sent a clear message that he intends to challenge the TMC’s dominance over the minority electorate, potentially altering the electoral landscape of Bengal.