‘Muslims now 40% in West Bengal’: Owaisi's AIMIM says it will contest all assembly seats
Imran Solanki accused the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC of deceiving the people of Bengal, saying that the party extends support to minorities only during elections.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Tuesday claimed that Muslims now make up over 40 per cent of West Bengal’s population and announced that it will contest all seats in the 2026 assembly election with full force.
The party presented its political agenda at the press conference, addressing issues concerning Muslims, Dalits, and tribals in the state.
“We are here to make a big announcement. We fought in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Delhi. In Bengal, we will fight from all seats. In the last panchayat elections, the AIMIM received 60,000 votes in Malda, 25,000 in Murshidabad, and from 15,000 to 18,000 in other areas,” The Indian Express quoted AIMIM spokesperson Imran Solanki as saying.
A party leader said the event was held under the direction of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. The discussion also covered the party’s expansion plans and strategies for the upcoming Assembly elections.
In response to accusations of exploiting Muslim votes, Solanki claimed that the stretch from the high court to Fort William is Waqf property, from which the ruling Trinamool Congress benefits.
“The Trinamool takes advantage of Waqf properties. If the government wants Muslim votes, they should share the accounts of the Waqf Board with us,” he said.
Solanki pointed out that the last Census was conducted in 2011 and added that an updated count would confirm the Muslim population in Bengal has surpassed 40 per cent.
“They come to power using Muslim votes, but they don’t do anything for us. We believe that it is because of the 90 per cent Muslim vote that the TMC is able to form the government here,” Solanki added.
He accused both the TMC and the BJP, calling them two sides of the same coin, alleging that they come to power with Muslim votes but fail to work for the community.
Solanki accused the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC of deceiving the people of Bengal, saying that the party extends support to minorities only during elections.