West Bengal MLA Humayun Kabir hints at quitting politics after police clash

What Happened

MLA Humayun Kabir has hinted at stepping away from electoral politics following a tense clash with police during the Rejinagar assembly by-election in West Bengal. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Kabir broke down in tears and stated that he would quit politics once the election process wraps up if local voters give him permission. His comments came just twelve hours after police arrested him following a heated argument outside his party office on Tuesday during voting.

Reactions And Claims

Kabir announced that he will refuse to step inside the assembly as long as Suvendu Adhikari remains in power, and he apologized to the people of Naoda for this decision. He also claimed that the BJP will win the Muslim-majority Rejinagar seat, blaming the administration's role during voting for the expected outcome. Votes for this seat, where Kabir's son Ghulam Nabi Azad is running as the Aam Janta Unnayan Party candidate, are set to be counted on October 9.

Background

Kabir previously won both the Naoda and Rejinagar seats in the last assembly election, giving up the Rejinagar seat as per rules and triggering the current by-election. Earlier, he left the Trinamool Congress and formed his own party after launching a project in December 2025 to build a mosque modeled after Ayodhya's Babri Masjid in Murshidabad's Beldanga.

Context

By-elections in closely watched seats often attract intense political friction between regional parties and state authorities. Tensions during polling days frequently spill over into legal action and high-stakes media statements by local leaders.