Hyderabad: Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday announced that his party, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), will contest the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 in alliance with the Am Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), floated by suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir.

Addressing a rally, Owaisi said the alliance marks AIMIM’s renewed push to expand its footprint in West Bengal. He cited the party’s performance in Malda during previous panchayat elections, where AIMIM secured around 60,000 votes, as an indication of its growing support base in the state.

The AIMIM chief also raised concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, alleging that lakhs of voters could face uncertainty ahead of the Assembly elections. He claimed that nearly 55 lakh people may be affected in terms of their participation in the polls.

Owaisi further alleged that around five lakh Backward Classes (BC) certificates have been cancelled in the state, claiming that most of those impacted belong to the Muslim community.

Calling it a matter of “injustice”, he said such developments could have serious implications for both welfare access and electoral participation.

Highlighting the political significance of the issue, Owaisi noted that Muslims constitute nearly 30 per cent of the electorate in West Bengal, making any large-scale exclusion a critical concern in the upcoming elections.

Polling for the 294-member Assembly is scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting of votes set for May 4.

Apart from state politics, Owaisi also targeted the NDA government at the Centre over energy preparedness. He warned that India’s strategic crude oil reserves may last only nine to ten days and pointed to the lack of similar mechanisms for LNG and LPG.

Referring to global tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, he questioned the Centre’s preparedness to handle supply disruptions, warning of a potential energy crisis if diversification strategies are not strengthened.