Humayun Kabir removes Nisha Chatterjee as Ballygunge candidate; to announce a Muslim name soon

Humayun Kabir has revoked the candidacy of Nisha Chatterjee for the Ballygunge assembly seat just 24 hours after launching his new political outfit, the Janata Unnayan Party (JUP). The announcement of the candidate list for 10 seats had initially positioned Nisha as a key face for the party in Kolkata. However, Kabir stated on Tuesday that the party has decided to withdraw her name to protect its public image and political integrity.

The sudden decision reportedly stems from various videos of Nisha Chatterjee circulating on social media. Humayun Kabir explained that after a review, the party leadership felt these videos were inconsistent with the party's values and could potentially tarnish the JUP's reputation ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. "There are certain videos on social media that could damage the party’s image. Hence, we decided on this change," Kabir told reporters, signaling a strict stance on the digital presence of his candidates.

Furthermore, Kabir announced a change in the party’s demographic strategy for the Ballygunge seat. He declared that a Muslim candidate would now be fielded from the constituency instead of Chatterjee. He assured that the name of the new candidate would be finalized and officially announced within the next seven days. This move underscores Kabir's focus on consolidating minority votes in specific pockets while attempting to maintain a disciplined public profile for his newly minted party.