Saralnama
The Indian Secular Front (ISF), led by Naushad Siddiqui, has asked the Left Front for an alliance in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The ISF was founded by Abbas Siddiqui from the Furfura Sharif shrine to support Muslims and Dalits. In the 2021 elections, ISF won one seat, and in the 2023 panchayat polls, it won 336 seats in Muslim-majority areas. The party recently ended its alliance with the Left-Congress before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls but gained votes in some areas. ISF wants to fight both the Trinamool Congress and BJP, focusing on poor Muslims, Dalits, and Adivasis. The party’s main support comes from Bengali-speaking Muslims in South Bengal. ISF leader Naushad Siddiqui is popular among both Muslims and Hindus. The party is ready for alliances with non-BJP parties but wants the TMC to apologise for neglecting Muslims. The 2026 elections are important for ISF’s growth in Bengal politics. (Updated 28 Aug 2025, 11:30 IST; source: link)