Putting speculation that the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JeH) may side with former Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Mukul Roy in Bengal to rest, the central leadership of the prominent minority organisation had given its State unit a go-ahead in terms of working with the TMC.
The development took place during a meeting of JeH national president Qari Syed Mohammad Osman, its central leader Md. Asad Madani, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president Maulana Badruddin Ajmal of Assam and its Bengal chief of JeH, Siddiqullah Chowdhury last Wednesday in Delhi.
JeH sources told that the powerful community leaders “unequivocally” decided to back Ms Banerjee in 2016 Assembly election. The announcement came amidst growing speculation that various minority parties are expected to contest the election splitting TMC’s share among the minority community.
In the meting the JeH central leadership said that if Ms. Banerjee was willing to work with its Bengal unit for the betterment of minorities, they had no objection to it. Mr. Madani welcomed Ms. Banerjee’s proposal for collaboration. As for how the JeH would collaborate with the TMC, the central leadership had left it on Mr. Chowdhury, JeH sources said.
The decision comes only days after Mr. Chowdhury met Ms. Banerjee at the New State Secretariat, Nabanna. Mr. Chowdhury, who till recently was one of the most vocal critics of Ms. Banerjee, told media persons after the meeting that she had sought his collaboration “to uplift the standard of living of the people in the backward communities”.
