Kolkata: Weeks after being suspended from Trinamool Congress (TMC), West Bengal MLA Humayun Kabir on Monday floated the Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) with an eye on the 2026 Assembly elections.
TMC took the decision to throw out the Bharatpur MLA after he stuck to his word of laying the foundation stone for a Babri-style mosque in Murshidabad district.
Kabir said his party will contest 135 out of the state’s 249 seats. Addressing a public meeting at Beldanga in Murshidabad district, Kabir announced names of a few candidates that his party will field in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Kabir himself will contest the from two constituencies in Murshidabad — Rejinagar and Beldanga.
As per schedule, the suspended TMC MLA #HumayunKabir named his new party as ‘Janata Unnayan Party’. He will contest from both Rejinagar & #Beldanga seats. The #JanataUnnayanParty will contest in 135 seats in #WestBengal #Assembly #elections#WestBengalElections2026 #Murshidabad pic.twitter.com/xdSi6BGr7n
— Rajdeep Dutta (@Rajdeep43187523) December 22, 2025
Kabir, who is mulling an alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi in the polls, said his preferred choices for JUP’s symbol are a table and twin roses.
Responding to Kabir floating a new party, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of using the suspended MLA to divide minorities. She also claimed Kabir’s Babri Masjid project is a BJP-orchestrated idea.
Kabir earlier described his new party as a “game-changer” in West Bengal politics and vowed to prevent the Trinamool from retaining power and BJP from winning the polls.
“In 2026, she (Mamata) will not become the chief minister and will not be sworn in… she will be branded as ex-chief minister,” Kabir had said earlier this month.