ECI meets both TMC factions amid row over party name, symbol

The tussle over the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) symbol, name and party funds took the Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee factions to Delhi on Saturday for a meeting with Election Commission of India (ECI) officials. The meeting of the Ritabrata faction was scheduled at 11 am, which lasted for 1 hour 20 minutes while the Mamata faction meeting was scheduled at 12 pm, which started later and continued for around 2 hours.

Five members of the Ritabrata faction included chairperson Arup Roy, chief whip Akhruzzman, Chandrima Bhattacharya and Riju Dutta.

“I cannot disclose what happened behind the scenes. It was very fruitful. They had many queries, we answered them and submitted some documents. We are hopeful because we are the TMC,” said Ritabrata Banerjee after the meeting.

The Leader of Opposition (LoP) termed their faction as a democratic party which follows proper documentation process.

The rebel faction says they have almost decided on candidate for Nandigram bypolls, but will withdraw if Mamata chooses to contest as an independent candidate.

The Mamata faction meeting EC included MPs Kalyan Banerjee, Derek Obrien, Sagarika Ghose, Saket Gokhale and advocate Abhinav Singh.

“We have made our submissions. Some queries were there, we have answered as much as possible. Only they can say whether they are satisfied or not. We objected to any interim order. Whatever order is passed, we will see and then take the further course of action,” said Kalyan Banerjee.

Kalyan also said that their faction will fight the Rejinagar and Nandigram bypolls on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) symbol. “Till the time Election Commission says that Mamata Banerjee is not the chairperson, up to that date, we can contest on our symbol,” added Kalyan.

The dispute over party name, symbol and funds is with the ECI since July 2. While the Mamata faction responded within the deadline of July 6, the Ritabrata faction asked for two extensions, July 10 and July 25. After this, Mamata wrote to the EC urging it to come to a decision at the earliest, claiming the Ritabrata faction sought time to produce false evidence to build up their case.

Bypolls are to be held on October 6 and results will be declared on October 9. The last date of nomination filing is September 16. With little time left, both factions are looking for a plausible solution to the party symbol and name tussle.

Rebel TMC MLA Humayun Kabir who founded Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) won both Rejinagar and Nowada constituencies where he contested from. But he decided to give up the Rejinagar seat, both being in the Muslim minority dominated Murshidabad district.

Suvendu Adhikari had won the Nandigram and Bhabanipur seats but chose to give up Nandigram, his erstwhile constituency in East Midnapore district. Adhikari had defeated Mamata in 2021 assembly elections while Mamata fought the bypolls and won from Bhabanipur constituency. In the 2026 assembly election in May, Adhikari defeated Mamata in her constituency, leaving Mamata out of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

With three factions emerging, including the 20 Lok Sabha MPs who merged with Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), Mamata stands the test of keeping the name and symbol of her party intact as Chairperson of AITC. Mamata broke away from the Congress and founded the TMC in 1998. Arup Roy, declared as AITC chairperson of the Ritabrata faction, is one of the founding members who left Congress to be part of the TMC along with Mamata.