India, Aug. 4 -- Member of Parliament (MP) Abu Taher Khan, who was among the Trinamool Congress (TMC) defectors who joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituent Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) in June, on Tuesday said that he would not remain in the ruling bloc nor join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), citing Muslim interests.

"We will not support any bill that goes against the interest of Muslims. We are from Murshidabad and have to protect the interests of Muslims," Khan said after skipping a second NDA meeting along with two other Lok Sabha members, Khalilur Rahman and Yusuf Pathan. Khan said they were giving a message by not attending the NDA meetings.

The three were among the 20 MPs who left the TMC and joi...