Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder and legislator Humayun Kabir on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, declared that he would not attend the West Bengal Assembly for as long as Suvendu Adhikari remains the Chief Minister of the state. Addressing media persons in the afternoon, Kabir also raised the possibility of voluntarily retiring from active politics — a dramatic escalation following his 12-hour detention by police in Rejinagar on Tuesday.

What Kabir Said

"I will not go to the West Bengal Assembly and will also not attend any session of the House as long as Suvendu Adhikari is the Chief Minister of the state. For that, I will also apologize to the people of Naoda Assembly Constituency in Murshidabad district. If necessary, I will take a voluntary retirement from my political life," Kabir told reporters.

He went further, announcing that he would boycott the minority affairs committee, the house committee, the business advisory committee, all-party meetings, and any meeting convened by the Speaker. "The seat number 88 reserved for me in the House will remain vacant henceforth," he said.

The Detention That Triggered the Standoff

The flash point came on Tuesday, the day of the Rejinagar bypoll — the constituency Kabir had vacated after winning two seats in the assembly elections held earlier this year. Police arrested him in Rejinagar during polling hours, citing charges of moving between booths without authorisation, allegedly influencing voters, intimidating police personnel, and physically grabbing a duty officer by his collar. He was held at Rejinagar police station for 12 hours before being released.

Kabir has flatly rejected the charges. "Is this a democratic system where a police sub-inspector can forcibly pick up an MLA and detain him for 12 hours without any specific reason?" he asked. He accused the police of torturing the people of Rejinagar over the previous two months, and held Chief Minister Adhikari — who also holds the state police portfolio — directly responsible.

Background: Dual Win, Bypoll, and the Kabir Family

In the assembly polls held earlier this year, Kabir won from both Naoda and Rejinagar, both located in Murshidabad district. He subsequently chose to retain Naoda and resigned from Rejinagar, triggering the bypoll held on Tuesday. His son, Golam Nabi Azad, is the AJUP candidate in that bypoll. Kabir's detention on polling day has therefore acquired a sharper political dimension, given the direct family interest in the contest's outcome.

What Comes Next

Kabir indicated he would consult constituents in Naoda before deciding his next move. "I will take the opinion of the people of Naoda in the coming days. If they give permission, I can also give up the MLA post. I will also give up active politics if they ask," he said. He maintained he would continue public service work in Naoda even while boycotting the Assembly. The AJUP chief's extraordinary stand puts pressure on both the West Bengal government and the legislature's functioning, and is likely to intensify political debate over police conduct during elections in the state.