‘Not weak, coward CM like Mamata’: Suvendu warns Humayun Kabir over ‘reckless remarks’

He made the remarks at a rally in Rejinagar in Bengal's Murshidabad district on Friday, which will see a bypoll.

Updated on: Jul 10, 2026, 20:37:43 IST

Edited by Nikita Sharma

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West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari took a potshot at his predecessor Mamata Banerjee and said that he is not a “weak” and “coward” CM like her. While making the remarks, Adhikari sought to warn elected officials against trying to invoke communal tensions.

Suvendu Adhikari said that while Mamata was “weak” and “coward”, he will not tolerate “irresponsible acts” by elected officials. (File Photo/PTI)

Without naming him directly, Adhikari referred to Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir, an MLA who recently made certain "inflammatory" remarks, reported news agency PTI.

Adhikari said that while Mamata was “weak” and “coward”, he will not tolerate such remarks and “irresponsible acts”.

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"Make no mistake, I am not a weak and coward chief minister like Mamata Banerjee. I will not tolerate reckless comments from elected representatives. I have asked the local MLA to choose his words carefully, keeping in mind the Constitution of the country," Adhikari said.

He made the remarks at a rally in Rejinagar in Bengal's Murshidabad district on Friday, which will see a bypoll. The schedule for Rejinagar bypoll is not yet out. However, Adhikari gave a timeline and said that it may happen within the next 30-45 days.

While making an appeal to the people of the assembly, Adhikari said that if BJP candidate is voted to power, they will “usher in development” there "with whatever demands the voters here may have as against the Hindu-Muslim politics which has been practised for so long in this region".

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‘Time to teach a lesson’

Adhikari also attacked the previous Mamata-led Trinamool Congress government. He said that the region had to endure suffering due to violence stoked by the previous government under the garb of protests on issues such as CAA-NRC and Waqf Act.

This is not the first time Adhikari has lashed out at Kabir publicly. On June 29 as well, the chief minister said during the budget session of the state assembly that it was time to teach the Nowda MLA "a lesson".

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"I will not allow you (Kabir) to make such reckless and unrestrained public statements ever again. I will not only make him withdraw his statements, but also ensure he thinks multiple times before making such remarks. I assure this House that this would be the last time he makes such comments in public," Adhikari had said.

This came after Adhikari accused Kabir of making provocative remarks to divide people ahead of bypolls in Rejinagar. Kabir's son is expected to fight the bypoll from the seat after the MLA vacated it. Kabir won in Nowda seat as well which he retained.

Along with Rejinagar, Nandigram will also see a bypoll after Adhikari vacated the seat and retained Bhabanipur, where he defeated Banerjee.

(With inputs from PTI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nikita Sharma
Nikita Sharma is a Senior Content Producer with Hindustan Times. She is a Delhi-based digital journalist with five years of experience writing and editing news stories across beats including crime, politics, tech, trends and much more, both national and international. At Hindustan Times, she is part of the news team and focuses on breaking news, keeping a track of what is happening where, and chasing ever-developing news stories. She has a penchant for covering crime, geopolitics, and Indian politics with a keen eye for stories often overlooked in the daily news cycle. At Hindustan Times, she has extensively covered several key events including the US Presidential elections, Air India plane crash, Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, US’ tariff war, and others. As a Delhi aficionado, she particularly enjoys roaming and writing about the national capital — its heritage, food, art and culture, and the many problems that come with it — the pollution, waterlogging, traffic, and more. Nikita did her Bachelor in Journalism and Mass Communication from GGSIPU and started working as a digital journalist in 2021. During her first stint, she covered hyperlocal news at a Delhi-based newsroom, writing and editing stories on builder-buyer conflicts, civic issues such as potholes, waterlogging, lack of facilities at hospitals in Delhi, crippling of the city during peak monsoon season. She also wrote features covering Delhi’s art exhibitions, heritage walks, artist profiles, museums, classical Hindustani music concerts and dance shows. She entered mainstream news in 2023 and has previously worked at NDTV.Read More

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