Ritabrata faction welcomes Trinamool name and symbol freeze; Mamata faction calls move contrary to law

New Delhi witnessed the Trinamool Congress (TMC), spearheaded by its founder and chairperson Mamata Banerjee, submitting its response to the Election Commission's interim order. This order temporarily barred the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) from using its name and symbol in the upcoming October 6 bypolls in West Bengal. The party communicated its proposed names and symbols for the elections to the poll panel at 11:36 pm on Thursday, submitting them with strong objections, according to sources.

The Election Commission's interim order, issued that night, directed the conflicting factions of AITC not to utilize the party name and its flowers and grass symbol for the West Bengal bypolls. It requested them to submit their preferred names and symbols by the following Friday morning. The Commission noted that the proposed name could be similar to AITC, and the symbol must be chosen from the list of free or available symbols designated for independents and registered unrecognised political parties.

The bypolls for Rejinagar and Nandigram are scheduled for October 6. The Commission acknowledged the limited time available to complete proceedings under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, but emphasized the urgency of resolving the party name and symbol issue for the upcoming by-elections. The interim arrangement was specifically made to address the bypolls and would remain in force until the dispute was finally resolved under Paragraph 15 of the Symbols Order.

The interim order comes amid a significant split within the TMC, triggered by a rebellion in the party legislature after the May Assembly poll defeat. In June, 58 rebel MLAs elected expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition, challenging the incumbent nominee, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, in a move that marked the party's first split in its 28-year history.

This internal conflict further escalated when 20 Lok Sabha MPs, led by senior leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, joined the opposition, aligning with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and backing it as a separate bloc. This development has created a deep fissure in the party's parliamentary ranks, posing a challenge to Mamata Banerjee's leadership and the party's long-standing identity symbolized by her hand-drawn flowers and grass emblem.