The AIMIM leader and his followers joined the TMC in presence of senior party leader and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. (YouTube/AITC Official) In a jolt to the AIMIM, which is planning to contest the Assembly election in West Bengal for the first time, the acting president of the party’s state unit on Saturday joined the ruling Trinamool Congress.
S K Abdul Kalam joined the TMC at party headquarters in Kolkata.
This comes nearly a week after Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owasi visited Bengal and held talks with Abbas Siddiqui, an influential Muslim cleric from Furfura Sharif.
However, Syed Asim Waqar, AIMIM national spokesperson, claimed to The Sunday Express that he has “never heard Kalam’s name”.
On Saturday, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Cabinet minister and senior TMC leader, handed over the party flag to Kalam and inducted him to the party. The TMC claimed that several leaders and workers of AIMIM under Kalam joined its party.
“West Bengal has remained as a oasis of peace. But recently there is a poisonous air which we see expanding in the state. To prevent this air from spreading further and maintain peace I have decided to join the TMC, “ said Kalam.
“In my opinion, AIMIM should have entered Bengal politics long ago. But now is not the proper time. We must all be united and stand against the poisonous air,” he added.
Syed Asim Waqar said, “I do not know this person (Kalam). I have never heard of him. So you can understand what is going on. I think TMC is frustrated that AIMIM is entering Bengal polls and doing all this.”
In November, Anwar Pasha, convener of AIMIM Bengal unit, joined the TMC.
However, AIMIM at that time claimed that Pasha was “small fry” and was involved in “anti-party activities.” “By just tearing the (citizenship amendment) Bill in Parliament, nothing is achieved. One needs to hit the streets like (CM) Mamata Banerjee. ” Pasha had said.