Alliances & distrust: Trinamool faces minority stronghold test

Murshidabad: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who has traditionally consolidated minority votes, especially in Malda and Murshidabad, may see some erosion following recent developments, particularly the SIR of electoral rolls.

Waqf protests, OBC reservation, and the harassment people faced during SIR hearings are factors that may affect the traditional voter base of Trinamool. The situation has become more complicated with the alliance of AIMIM and Humayun Kabir's Aam Aadmi Unnayan Party and coalition of Congress and CPI-M-AISF, which may lead to division of Muslim votes. Md Mobarak Hossain, a member of Trinamool-run Chachond Gram Panchayat, Samserganj, whose name has been deleted, told ET that people are angry over the SIR harassment, Banerjee's comments on arrest of Mofakkarul Islam, among other issues. "I pay more than ₹1 crore in taxes every year. But my name was deleted in SIR adjudication," he said.

Also Read | Cooch Behar: TMC, BJP jostle for Rajbanshi vote in Bengal Assembly polls



Last April, there was an anti-Waqf protest in Samserganj and Dhuliyan in Murshidabad which led to the arrest of 150 people. "Banerjee told us to go to Delhi to protest on Waqf issue. We were not allowed to protest here," several minority community members and Trinamool leaders from the community told ET. "Nothing was done to ensure the interest of the minority community in the last two years. That sentiment is prevalent," said Parijayee Sharmik Aikya Manch general Secretary Asif Faruk, who works for migrant workers in Murshidabad.

Similar sentiments are prevalent in Malda district too.