TMC name, symbol frozen: Mamata, Ritabrata factions submit new choices to ECI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol to the faction led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while the rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee was allotted the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol.

The two factions will contest the upcoming bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar under the newly allotted names and symbols. The development comes a day after the ECI froze the name All India Trinamool Congress and its reserved Flowers & Grass symbol, barring both groups from using them until the Commission takes a final decision on the dispute.

Also read: Election Commission bars TMC factions from using party name, symbol


The Mamata Banerjee-led faction had submitted three choices each for the party name and symbol after Thursday night's ECI order. The faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee also submitted its choices before the 11 am Friday deadline.

The ECI has now allotted Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol to the Mamata-led faction, while the rival group has been allotted Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol.

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Bandopadhyay said the Mamata-led faction had given three options and that the Election Commission had approved its first choice of a football player symbol.

"We had given three options. Serial No a player playing football. We have been informed Mamata All India Trinamool and football player has been approved by ECI. Our candidates will fight with this new symbol and name."

Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee said his faction had collectively decided to contest with the envelope symbol.

"We have taken a collective decision and we will fight with the envelope symbol."

The ECI, in its interim order, said, "neither of the two groups led by Shri Arup Roy (Petitioner) and other led by Ms. Mamata Banerjee (Respondent) be permitted to use the name of the party 'All India Trinamool Congress'." It also said neither group would be permitted to use the "Flowers & Grass" symbol reserved for the All India Trinamool Congress.

The Commission had frozen the original name and symbol after both factions claimed the identity and organisational control of the party. The arrangement is intended to apply to the upcoming elections while the broader dispute is considered by the poll panel.

The dispute comes ahead of the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, where both factions have fielded candidates. The ECI's decision ensures that candidates from the two rival groups can contest the bypolls under distinct names and symbols rather than using the original Trinamool Congress identity.

The Mamata-led faction had suggested three names — Mamata All Indian Trinamool Congress, All India Trinamool Congress and Trinamool Mamata Congress.

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The Ritabrata-led faction had shortlisted Nationalist Trinamool Congress, Democratic Trinamool Congress and West Bengal Trinamool Congress. Its symbol choices included the Blackboard, Torch and Envelope.

The ECI's interim order had said that neither faction could use the original party name or the Flowers & Grass symbol in the elections. The Commission's latest allotment gives each faction a separate identity for the upcoming electoral contest.

Calling the ECI's earlier order unconstitutional, Trinamool MP Kalyan Bandopadhyay had said his faction did not accept it but would comply with what was required.

Kunal Ghosh, Trinamool spokesperson, had said Mamata Banerjee was their symbol, movement and strength.

Ritabrata Banerjee had meanwhile said the ECI's interim order showed there was no room for dynastic politics, arguing that a political party could not be treated as a private limited company or have an heir.

The allotment of new names and symbols now sets the stage for the two factions to contest the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls under separate identities while the ECI continues to consider the underlying dispute over the original Trinamool Congress name and symbol.