Ahead of 2021 polls, Mamata risks losing minority vote bank

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) is likely to face a fierce challenger in the run-up to the 2021 Assembly elections, slated for May next year, from a community that she has enjoyed support from since the 2011 Assembly elections, which brought her to power for the first time.

Abbas Siddiqui, a Pirzada (religious leader) from the Furfura Sharif of Bengal’s Hooghly district, a powerful shrine which has a hold over almost 90 Assembly seats in the state, is likely to launch his own political party soon and take on the Mamata Banerjee government and the TMC in the 2021 Assembly elections.

Abbas Siddiqui spoke to The Sunday Guardian exclusively and explained why he decided to launch his own political outfit and be a challenger to Banerjee, whom he and his shrine supported until the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Siddiqui said, “Mamata Banerjee has become a habitual liar. She had promised a lot of developmental work for the poor and minority community of the state, but over the last 10 years, what she has done is only enjoyed their support and has done nothing for them. She just lies that she has done so much for the minority community. Come to Bengal and see how the minority community is living in this state. She makes big announcements, but on the ground nothing happens. She has even stopped recruitment in the madrasas. We will launch our own party and fight for the rights of the Muslims, the poor, the adisri