Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui launches Indian Secular Front; open to TMC alliance

Launching a new political front in West Bengal, Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui on Thursday announced 'Indian Secular Front (ISF)' in a press conference in Kolkata. Siddiqui said that he was open to allying with any party except BJP as he thought y were dangerous. Stating that party will contest on all 294 seats as part of a front, he said 'Democracy, Secularism & Justice' were foundation of party. West Bengal, where Mamata Banerjee holds fort with 222 seats, will go to polls in April-May 2021.

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Siddiqui launches Indian Secular Front

" party's main objective would be to stand and fight for lost Democracy, Secularism & Justice in state, to fight for economic freedom & equality. We will contest election as a front, as of now I will say on all 294 seats. We will, later on, see about an alliance. I haven't thought about it now," said Siddiqui.

Hinting at an alliance with TMC, he ded, "I have kept my option open of joining a front with any party except BJP. It's not my job to work for survival or interest of TMC & Mamata Banerjee. To stop BJP all parties must unite. Wher I will join hands with Tmc or not is hypotical, but its upto m to initiate. I think BJP is dangerous for nation. We will not ally with m.  I don't want to be king, I want to be king-maker."

Owaisi's prospective West Bengal ally Abbas Siddiqui to announce new party on January 21

Owaisi: 'Will contest along with Siddiqui'

Taking Bengal poll plunge on 3 January, AIMIM chief Asuddin Owaisi announced that his party will contest upcoming state assembly elections along with prominent Muslim leer Abbas Siddiqui. Owaisi who met Siddiqui at Futura Sharif in Bengal's Hooghly district said that he will soon decide as to which districts and how many seats will AIMIM contest on. Hitting out at Owaisi, Mohammed Yahiya- chairman of Bengal Imams' Association stated that ir community does not need any Muslim leer from outside West Bengal ding that y will not allow division of Muslim votes in state.

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reafter, AIMIM president countered this charge citing that "undivided vote" of Muslims h not fetched any dividends for community for over 70 years. To buttress his point, he highlighted that 37% of WB's prison population is Muslim despite community constituting only 27% of state's population. Responding to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee who has levelled a massive 'money charge' against AIMIM and accused it of colluding with BJP, Owaisi reminded that Chief Minister was part of NDA under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Gujarat riots took place at that time. AIMIM which won 5 seats in Bihar and 44 seats in high-octave Hyderab civic polls, is planning to contest in UP, Assam and Gujarat.

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