Bengal polls: Trinamool accuses Humayun Kabir of Rs 1,000 crore deal with BJP, AAUP chief hits back

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Thursday accused its former legislator, Humayun Kabir, and his newly-floated Aam Aadmi Unnayan Party (AAUP) of striking a Rs 1,000 crore deal with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to divide minority votes in those West Bengal Assembly constituencies where his candidates are contesting in the forthcoming polls in alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, drawing a swift rebuttal from him.

At a joint press conference, ministers Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, and Trinamool’s state General Secretary, Kunal Ghosh, released an audio clip where Kabir was reportedly heard conversing with an unidentified person on these lines.

IANS, however, could not cross-check the authenticity of the audio clip.

The trio chose to release the audio clip at the press conference held even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing a mega campaign rally at Haldia in East Midnapore district, the first of his three scheduled rallies in the state for the day.

In the audio clip, Kabir was reportedly heard assuring the unidentified person that if the BJP could ensure attracting the majority of the Hindu votes this time, he would be instrumental in ensuring the division of the Muslim voters, and he would do that to throw the Trinamool out of power in the state.

Kabir was also heard assuring the unidentified person that he and his party will give cent per cent support to the new BJP Chief Minister, if the party comes to power in West Bengal this time.

In the audio clip, he was also heard claiming to be in regular touch with the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mohan Yadav.

At the press conference, Hakim said that Kabir should not make the mistake of considering the minority voters fools. “He can sell his conscience to the BJP for money. But common minority voters will never do that,” he said.

Kabir refuted the allegations and demanded proof.

“Rs 1,000 crore is a very big amount. I do not have even a Rs 1 crore deal with the BJP. Let them say anything they want. But first, they should give the proof that either I have met anyone from the BJP or any BJP leader had met me,” Kabir told IANS.

He also said that the audio clip released by the Trinamool was a fake one. “Trinamool Congress could not counter me politically, and hence they have resorted to such nasty things now,” Kabir said.

He also said that he is ready to be a martyr in his mission to set up the Babri Mosque at Beldanga in Murshidabad district, which will be in line with the original structure at UP’s Ayodhya, demolished on December 6, 1992.

“I am ready to be a martyr in my mission. But I am saying the work for the construction of the mosque is going on in full swing, and it will be completed within the next two years,” Kabir said.

IANS