The Election Commission had earlier frozen the Trinamool Congress’ original name and symbol after recognising the dispute between the two factions. Following the submission of three choices by each side, the Commission has now allowed both groups to contest the upcoming by-elections using their newly allotted names and symbols.
The decision came a day after the Commission barred Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the rebel faction led by MLA Ritabrata Banerjee from using the TMC name and its reserved ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol in the upcoming by-elections. The Commission’s interim arrangement is intended to remain in place until the dispute over the party’s identity is finally settled.
What Was the Election Commission’s Order?
After hearing the sides of the factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy, the Election Commission said in its interim order issued on Thursday night that the matter required a substantive determination under the provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. Until such a decision is taken, neither faction can use the Trinamool Congress name or the party’s reserved ‘Flowers and Grass’ election symbol.
Mamata Banerjee Faces Setback
The Commission’s decision has been described as a setback for Mamata Banerjee’s faction. The hand-drawn ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol had been the party’s identity since its formation in 1998. The source draft states that more than two-thirds of the Trinamool Congress MLAs rebelled after the party’s defeat in the Assembly election in May.
The rebellion later reached Parliament. In June, 58 rebel MLAs elected expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition instead of the Mamata camp’s nominee, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, and secured recognition from the Assembly Speaker. The development marked a major escalation in the internal dispute.
Five days later, the revolt reached the Lok Sabha, with 20 MPs led by senior TMC leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar joining the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), described in the source draft as a little-known party, and announcing support for the BJP-led NDA. The move further widened the split within the Trinamool Congress.
The Election Commission’s latest allocation gives the two factions separate electoral identities for the upcoming by-elections, with Mamata Banerjee’s group entering the contest as the ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ with the ‘Football Player’ symbol and the rival faction using the ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ name with the ‘Envelope’ symbol.
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