<p>West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM would not be a factor in the upcoming assembly polls in the state as its role as "B team of the BJP" has been exposed in the Bihar elections.</p>.<p>During a meeting in Murshidabad, a Muslim-dominated district, Banerjee urged party leaders to put up a united fight against the BJP and the other divisive forces.</p>.<p>"During the core committee meeting, Mamata di assured us that AIMIM would not be a factor in Murshidabad district. She told us that Owaisi's party was exposed after the Bihar polls," a local TMC leader said.</p>.<p>Murshidabad district comprises 22 assembly seats.</p>.<p>In the recently concluded Bihar elections, the AIMIM won five seats in the Muslims-dominated Seemanchal region on the border of West Bengal.</p>.<p>Earlier this month, Owaisi had met Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui of Hooghly district's Furfura Sharif to discuss the seat-sharing arrangement.</p>.<p>The AIMIM chief has already expressed his desire to fight the upcoming assembly elections in the state.</p>.<p>The TMC had dubbed the AIMIM's entry in the state as an attempt to split the Muslim votes in the state and help the BJP.</p>.<p>The AIMIM has termed the allegation as "baseless" and "motivated".</p>.<p>A deciding factor in nearly 100-110 seats in the state, Muslims, who constitute 30 per cent of the population, till 2019, have acted as a bulwark of the TMC against its rivals, with most of them voting in favour of the party, considering it to be a "credible" force that can resist the saffron surge.</p>.<p>In a development that might upset several political equations in election-bound state, Siddiqui on Thursday floated a new political outfit, contending that he wishes to be the kingmaker after the polls.</p>.<p>The influential Muslim cleric said his new outfit -- Indian Secular Front (ISF) - plans to contest the elections from all 294 assembly seats in the state.</p>.<p>Elections to the Bengal assembly are likely to be held in April-May.</p>
<p>West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM would not be a factor in the upcoming assembly polls in the state as its role as "B team of the BJP" has been exposed in the Bihar elections.</p>.<p>During a meeting in Murshidabad, a Muslim-dominated district, Banerjee urged party leaders to put up a united fight against the BJP and the other divisive forces.</p>.<p>"During the core committee meeting, Mamata di assured us that AIMIM would not be a factor in Murshidabad district. She told us that Owaisi's party was exposed after the Bihar polls," a local TMC leader said.</p>.<p>Murshidabad district comprises 22 assembly seats.</p>.<p>In the recently concluded Bihar elections, the AIMIM won five seats in the Muslims-dominated Seemanchal region on the border of West Bengal.</p>.<p>Earlier this month, Owaisi had met Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui of Hooghly district's Furfura Sharif to discuss the seat-sharing arrangement.</p>.<p>The AIMIM chief has already expressed his desire to fight the upcoming assembly elections in the state.</p>.<p>The TMC had dubbed the AIMIM's entry in the state as an attempt to split the Muslim votes in the state and help the BJP.</p>.<p>The AIMIM has termed the allegation as "baseless" and "motivated".</p>.<p>A deciding factor in nearly 100-110 seats in the state, Muslims, who constitute 30 per cent of the population, till 2019, have acted as a bulwark of the TMC against its rivals, with most of them voting in favour of the party, considering it to be a "credible" force that can resist the saffron surge.</p>.<p>In a development that might upset several political equations in election-bound state, Siddiqui on Thursday floated a new political outfit, contending that he wishes to be the kingmaker after the polls.</p>.<p>The influential Muslim cleric said his new outfit -- Indian Secular Front (ISF) - plans to contest the elections from all 294 assembly seats in the state.</p>.<p>Elections to the Bengal assembly are likely to be held in April-May.</p>