Mamata was addressing a rally in Cooch Behar on Monday when she launched a scathing attack against AIMIM.
A war of words erupted between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday after former's allegations of a "political party from Hyderabad taking money from the BJP."
Mamata was addressing a rally in Cooch Behar on Monday when she launched a scathing attack against the AIMIM. She said there was also "extremism among minorities just as there are extremists among the Hindus."
Owaisi hit back at the Trinamool Congress chief saying that she was "giving a message to Muslims of Bengal that Owaisi's party has become a formidable force in the state."
"Extremism is coming out among the minorities, just as there are extremists among the Hindus. There is a political party and they are taking money from the BJP, they are from Hyderabad, not from West Bengal," Mamata said.
In response, Owaisi who is in Delhi to attend the Parliament session said, "By making allegations against me you are giving the message to Muslims of Bengal that Owaisi's party has become a formidable force in the state. Mamata Banerjee is showcasing her fear and frustration by making such comments."
This comes after AIMIM last month became a party to have at least one member in three state assemblies. In the recently held assembly bypoll in Bihar, AIMIM won a seat at the Kishanganj constituency of Bihar which shares a border with West Bengal.
Following the victory, several posters of the AIMIM were found to be plastered all over Cooch Behar where the party claimed that the wait was over and that next contest in line was West Bengal. This surprised local leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress, since AIMIM is generally known to be a party centred in Hyderabad.
Now, following Mamata Banerjee's warning against the party, political commentators are trying to find the significance in this sequence of events.
Cooch Behar has often seen an MP from the Congress or All India Forward Bloc. However, in 2014, Mamata's party leader won the seat, but in 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP registered a victory in Cooch Behar.
The AIMIM can snatch a significant share of the Muslim votes from TMC in West Bengal which explains Mamata's insecurity since she has, on numerous counts, narrated that these votes are crucial for her. Her attack on AIMIM and hinting of a link with the BJP is seen at [ersuading Muslim voters to stay away from the "Hyderabad party."
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