After the viral video of AJUP leader Humayun Kabir in West Bengal, the days have again started falling heavy on Muslim leaders. Leaders like Asaduddin Owaisi, Gulman Nabi Azad and Badruddin Ajmal again came into limelight. Many times these leaders have been accused of working for BJP. It is said that these Muslim leaders give advantage to BJP by cutting the votes of Muslims. But how much truth is there in this and who is included in the list? Let’s understand in the explainer…
Question 1: What are the allegations against Humayun Kabir and what is the matter?
answer: Humayun Kabir is a former TMC MLA from Murshidabad district of West Bengal. After being suspended from TMC, he formed his own party Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP). On 9 April 2026, TMC released a viral video of a sting operation, in which Kabir is allegedly saying that he has a ‘covert’ understanding with BJP. In the video, he mentions a deal worth Rs 1000 crore (in some reports Rs 200 crore) and says that he will influence Muslim voters by building a mosque on the lines of Babri Masjid. This will divide TMC’s Muslim votes and BJP will get 100-120 seats. TMC alleges that Kabir is an ‘agent’ of BJP and is involved in a conspiracy to defeat Mamata Banerjee by dividing Muslim votes. Kabir has described the video as AI-generated and fake.
Question 2: What allegations have been made against Asaduddin Owaisi and AIMIM?
answer: Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM has been accused for a long time that by contesting elections on Muslim dominated seats, they distribute the votes of opposition parties like Congress and TMC, which benefits BJP. Recently, AIMIM had formed an alliance with Humayun Kabir’s party in Bengal, but broke the alliance on 10 April 2026 after the video went viral. TMC leader Tanmay Ghosh and others say that Owaisi’s steps divide Muslim votes and indirectly help BJP.
Owaisi’s stand is that he is fighting for Muslim interests and TMC has done nothing for Muslims. On many occasions, Owaisi has said, ‘We are not in any conspiracy, we are the voice of Muslims.’
Question 3: What are the allegations against veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad?
answer: Ghulam Nabi Azad is a former Congress leader. He left Congress in 2022 and formed his own party DPAP. Rahul Gandhi faction in Congress alleges that they work together with BJP, especially in Jammu and Kashmir. The opposition says that BJP benefited in Jammu and Kashmir due to distribution of Muslim votes through DPAP. However, Azad says that he is against the wrong policies of Congress. This allegation is old but ‘now’ has come into discussion again because people have raised it as the third name.
Question 4: Apart from these, which leaders are accused of supporting BJP?
answer: After these three big leaders, the most prominent name is Badruddin Ajmal of AIUDF party of Assam. Congress and other opposition parties in Assam allege that AIUDF benefits BJP by dividing Muslim votes. In the 2016-2021 Assam elections, Congress leader Tarun Gogoi had alleged that there is a ‘tactical deal’ between AIUDF and BJP. Congress distributes votes by fighting on AIUDF Muslim dominated seats. In the 2019 Lok Sabha, Ajmal had said, ‘Congress betrayed us, their Muslim leader broke the alliance. As a result, BJP benefited. In 2021, AIUDF claimed that some BJP candidates have asked them to support the ‘Grand Alliance’. Ajmal gave a statement in defence, ‘We fight in the interest of Muslims, there is no deal.’ This allegation is old but is raised again and again in Assam elections.
Question 5: Why are these allegations made and what is their basis?
answer: According to political experts, the main basis of these allegations is the unity of Muslim voters. Muslim votes were largely behind TMC in the 2021 Bengal elections. Now if a new party like AJUP or AIMIM distributes votes in Muslim dominated areas then BJP can benefit. Kabir’s alleged statement in the video is being considered as evidence of this conspiracy. Owaisi has also faced similar allegations in Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam etc. Ghulam Nabi Azad was accused of leaving Congress in Jammu and Kashmir politics and on the basis of some statements.
In Bengal elections, TMC says that BJP will benefit from the division of Muslim votes. After Humayun’s video, AIMIM will now fight alone. However, after the video scandal, vigilance has increased among Muslim voters. Voter list deletion cases are also going on in the Supreme Court, due to which this issue has become more heated.