Humayun Kabir Retirement: Why He Quit Politics After Arrest

Humayun Kabir has announced his retirement from Politics just a day after his arrest following a clash with police on polling day in West Bengal’s Rejinagar Assembly bypoll. The Aam Janata Unnayan Party chief made the announcement during an emotional interaction with local media, where he broke down in tears, apologised to voters and said he could no longer accept what he described as injustice.

Kabir’s announcement came after an extraordinary 24-hour political episode that began with a confrontation involving police during the Rejinagar bypoll and ended with the 64-year-old politician saying he wanted to leave public life. He was arrested after the clash and released later the same evening.

The veteran politician also said he would not attend the West Bengal Assembly as long as Suvendu Adhikari remained chief minister. At the same time, he apologised to the people of Naoda, the constituency he currently represents, and said he would leave the final decision on his political future to the people WHO elected him.

Humayun Kabir Announces Retirement After Rejinagar Clash

Kabir’s political crisis unfolded around the Rejinagar bypoll, where his son Golam Nabi Azad was contesting after Kabir gave up the Rejinagar seat. Kabir had also won the Naoda seat in the April Assembly elections.

On polling day, Kabir accused the police of interfering in the bypoll. The confrontation subsequently led to his arrest. He was released later that evening, but the incident appeared to have a deeper impact on the politician.

The following day, Kabir appeared before local media and announced that he intended to retire from politics once the election process was complete.

“As soon as the election process is complete, I will call a meeting in Naoda and apologise to the people — the people of Naoda — and retire from politics at the age of 64,” he said.

His announcement was accompanied by visible emotion as he struggled to hold back tears while speaking about his political journey, his voters and the events surrounding the Rejinagar election.

Kabir Says He Will Not Attend Assembly While Suvendu Adhikari Is Chief Minister

Kabir also made a strong statement about his future role in the state Assembly. He said he would not attend the Assembly for as long as Suvendu Adhikari remained chief minister.

“If Suvendu Adhikari remains the chief minister, I will not go to the assembly. I will seek forgiveness from the people of Naoda,” Kabir said.

The statement was coupled with an apology to voters in both Rejinagar and Naoda. Kabir said he felt he had failed to honour the mandate given to him by the people of Rejinagar only five months earlier.

He also expressed his belief that the BJP could win the Muslim-majority Murshidabad constituency, where the bypoll was taking place. His remarks came amid heightened political activity surrounding the contest and the confrontation that occurred on polling day.

Emotional Apology to Rejinagar Voters

During his interaction with reporters, Kabir repeatedly returned to the issue of the mandate he had received from voters. Fighting back tears, he apologised to the people of Rejinagar and said he felt he had not been able to live up to the responsibility given to him.

The emotional appearance marked a sharp contrast with the scenes from the previous day, when Kabir had been involved in an animated confrontation with police during the bypoll.

His decision to announce his retirement so soon after the incident added another dramatic turn to a political career that has already included multiple changes and resignations.

Kabir Says He Cannot Compromise With What He Calls Injustice

Kabir said he could not accept what he described as “so much injustice” and insisted that he was unwilling to compromise with it. He presented his political record as one shaped by repeated opposition to what he considered wrongdoing across different political formations.

He said he had consistently opposed what he described as the injustices of the Left. He also recalled his time in the Trinamool congress, saying he had criticised what he considered wrongdoings within the party even while being associated with it.

According to Kabir, his stance inside the Trinamool Congress resulted in disciplinary action against him on four occasions. He said this included one expulsion and one suspension.

His comments reflected the political tensions that have marked his career, as well as his stated unwillingness to remain in politics if doing so required him to compromise with issues he considered unjust.

Humayun Kabir Leaves Final Decision to Naoda Voters

Although Kabir announced his intention to retire, he also said he would allow the people of Naoda to have a say in whether he should continue as their MLA.

He said he would call a meeting in Naoda after the election process was completed. If 60% of those attending the meeting supported his decision to step down if he no longer wanted to continue, Kabir said he would resign as the Naoda MLA.

He made the assurance regardless of how many people attended the meeting, saying the gathering could involve 1,000 people or 10,000 people.

“I give you this assurance,” Kabir said.

The proposal means that, despite announcing his retirement from politics, Kabir has left open a final political decision that would involve his supporters and constituents in Naoda.

A Political Career Marked by Three MLA Resignations

Kabir pointed to his own political history while explaining the significance of his latest announcement. He said his career had already included three separate MLA resignations.

According to Kabir, he first resigned as a Congress MLA on November 20, 2012, after spending 18 months in the position. He later resigned as a Trinamool MLA on March 30, 2026.

His third resignation came on May 15, 2026, when he stepped down as the Rejinagar MLA representing the Aam Janata Vikas Party. He subsequently contested from Naoda after winning the seat in the April Assembly elections.

The sequence highlights the unusual nature of Kabir’s political career, which has involved movement between parties, repeated resignations and changing electoral constituencies.

Rejinagar Bypoll Puts Kabir Back at the Centre of Political Attention

The Rejinagar bypoll became the immediate backdrop to Kabir’s latest political announcement. After giving up the constituency, he remained directly involved in the contest because his son, Golam Nabi Azad, was fighting the election.

Kabir had accused the police of interfering in the electoral process. The confrontation on polling day resulted in his arrest and release later that day.

The incident brought renewed attention to Kabir, who has emerged as a prominent figure in Bengal’s minority politics. His subsequent announcement that he wanted to leave politics transformed the episode from a dispute surrounding a bypoll into a broader discussion about his political future.

From Police Confrontation to Retirement Announcement in 24 Hours

The speed of the developments surrounding Kabir was striking. On polling day, he was at the centre of a confrontation with police and was arrested. By the following day, he was appearing before local media in tears and announcing that he intended to retire.

He also apologised to voters and said he had failed to honour the mandate given to him in Rejinagar. At the same time, he indicated that the people of Naoda would have an opportunity to influence whether he remained their MLA.

That combination of an emotional apology, criticism of what he called injustice and a proposed consultation with voters has left Kabir’s immediate political future tied to events after the election process concludes.

What Happens to Humayun Kabir After the Bypoll?

For now, Kabir has said that his retirement decision will be finalised only after the election process is over. He plans to hold a meeting in Naoda and apologise to the people there before making the next step in his political career.

His comments also suggest that his position as Naoda MLA remains an open question. If the threshold he set at the proposed meeting is reached, Kabir has said he will resign from the Assembly seat.

That leaves two separate issues to be resolved: whether Kabir follows through with his announced retirement from politics and whether he continues as the elected representative of Naoda.

Until then, his political future remains closely connected to the outcome of the Rejinagar bypoll, his meeting with Naoda voters and the decision he ultimately makes after the election process concludes.

Humayun Kabir’s latest announcement marks a dramatic moment in a political career already defined by multiple resignations and shifts. Within barely 24 hours, he moved from a confrontation with police on polling day to an emotional apology and a declaration that he wanted to walk away from politics. Whether that announcement becomes permanent will depend, in part, on the meeting he has promised to hold with the people of Naoda.