West Bengal politician’s remarks about chief minister spark row before bypoll
AJUP founder Humayun Kabir has triggered controversy with remarks interpreted as wishing for Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s death, days before the Rejinagar bypoll. Kabir later said his comments concerned the chief minister leaving office and expressed a wish for him to live and complete his term.
Aam Janta Unnayan Party founder and MLA Humayun Kabir has triggered a political controversy in West Bengal after making remarks about Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ahead of the Rejinagar Assembly bypoll. Speaking to reporters in Murshidabad, Mr. Kabir said he wanted Mr.
Adhikari to stop being Chief Minister and become a former Chief Minister. He also used religious language about an early departure and referred to political leaders who had died in assassinations or accidents. The remarks were widely criticised by the BJP.
West Bengal Health Minister Shardwat Mukhopadhyay said political disagreement should not include wishing death on an opponent and condemned the comments. Mr. Mukhopadhyay also defended Mr.
Adhikari’s position, saying the people had made him Chief Minister. The source material does not include a response from Mr. Adhikari.
Mr. Kabir later sought to clarify his comments. He said he had not taken the Chief Minister’s name and that his remarks related to allegations of police harassment.
He subsequently said he wished Mr. Adhikari a long life, wanted him to complete his full term and hoped he would eventually become Prime Minister. The controversy has emerged during campaigning for the Rejinagar bypoll, scheduled for October 6, with counting due on October 9.
The seat became vacant after Mr. Kabir, who won Rejinagar and Nowda in the 2026 Assembly election, retained Nowda and vacated Rejinagar. The BJP has nominated Sakharav Sarkar, the Trinamool Congress has fielded Rabiul Alam Chowdhury and a rival Trinamool faction has nominated Sheikh Safiuzzaman.
The Congress, CPI(M) and AJUP have also fielded candidates, including Mr. Kabir’s son, Ghulam Nabi Azad, for AJUP. The dispute has added a new point of confrontation to a contest involving the BJP, Trinamool Congress, its rival faction, Congress, the Left and AJUP.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.