<p>New Delhi: Opposition leaders on Monday criticised the alliance between the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir, saying such moves could divide votes and weaken "secular parties" ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.</p>.<p>AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi has tied up with Humayun Kabir's Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly polls. Polling for the 294-member Assembly is scheduled on April 23 and 29, with counting of votes on May 4.</p>.<p>TMC MP Saugata Roy called it a “bad development” and said it may “isolate Muslim masses”.</p>.<p>“Owaisi’s outfit is actually helping the BJP. But it will not have any impact. They do not have strength and will not get votes,” Roy told reporters in the Parliament House complex.</p>.<p>Congress MP Manickam Tagore alleged that “some people have taken a contract to weaken the secular forces”.</p>.West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 | Demographic shift may alter poll math; BJP win must for Hindus to remain majority: Sukanta Majumdar.<p>Another Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh said forming alliances is a political choice but stressed that the focus should remain on defeating communal forces.</p>.<p>“Whether someone forms an alliance with someone else is their own matter. But defeating communal forces is our goal, and for this the Congress party will continue to work consistently,” he said.</p>.<p>Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged that AIMIM often ends up helping the BJP.</p>.<p>“Whenever the BJP is in crisis, it calls the AIMIM, which is on its speed dial. The party invites them to come and participate and help it win,” she claimed.</p>.<p>Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Maji labelled the AIMIM as the BJP's "B-team", alleging that it participates in elections only to benefit the saffron party by dividing the opposition's vote share.</p>.<p>“This has been happening everywhere. You have seen that wherever they (AIMIM) have fielded their candidates, it has ended up benefiting the BJP. That is why, in many states, people from their own community choose not to support them and instead vote for the party that is more likely to win and defeat the BJP," she told reporters in the Parliament House complex.</p>.<p>"In Bengal, people chose Mamata Banerjee and even people from the Muslim community supported her because she could win and defeat the BJP. But by doing this, AIMIM ends up cutting votes, which in turn benefits the BJP significantly. Because of this, we see AIMIM as the BJP’s ‘B team’." </p>
<p>New Delhi: Opposition leaders on Monday criticised the alliance between the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir, saying such moves could divide votes and weaken "secular parties" ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.</p>.<p>AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi has tied up with Humayun Kabir's Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly polls. Polling for the 294-member Assembly is scheduled on April 23 and 29, with counting of votes on May 4.</p>.<p>TMC MP Saugata Roy called it a “bad development” and said it may “isolate Muslim masses”.</p>.<p>“Owaisi’s outfit is actually helping the BJP. But it will not have any impact. They do not have strength and will not get votes,” Roy told reporters in the Parliament House complex.</p>.<p>Congress MP Manickam Tagore alleged that “some people have taken a contract to weaken the secular forces”.</p>.West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 | Demographic shift may alter poll math; BJP win must for Hindus to remain majority: Sukanta Majumdar.<p>Another Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh said forming alliances is a political choice but stressed that the focus should remain on defeating communal forces.</p>.<p>“Whether someone forms an alliance with someone else is their own matter. But defeating communal forces is our goal, and for this the Congress party will continue to work consistently,” he said.</p>.<p>Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged that AIMIM often ends up helping the BJP.</p>.<p>“Whenever the BJP is in crisis, it calls the AIMIM, which is on its speed dial. The party invites them to come and participate and help it win,” she claimed.</p>.<p>Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Maji labelled the AIMIM as the BJP's "B-team", alleging that it participates in elections only to benefit the saffron party by dividing the opposition's vote share.</p>.<p>“This has been happening everywhere. You have seen that wherever they (AIMIM) have fielded their candidates, it has ended up benefiting the BJP. That is why, in many states, people from their own community choose not to support them and instead vote for the party that is more likely to win and defeat the BJP," she told reporters in the Parliament House complex.</p>.<p>"In Bengal, people chose Mamata Banerjee and even people from the Muslim community supported her because she could win and defeat the BJP. But by doing this, AIMIM ends up cutting votes, which in turn benefits the BJP significantly. Because of this, we see AIMIM as the BJP’s ‘B team’." </p>