Kolkata: Both Trinamool Congress factions – the ‘original but minority’ faction led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, and the ‘rebel but majority’ faction led by expelled party legislator, Ritabrata Banerjee – have submitted their respective choices of party names and symbols to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool has submitted three choices each for the name and the symbol after Thursday midnight. On the other hand, the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction had reportedly forwarded their choices on Friday morning.
The deadline for submission of choices of new names and symbols as set by the ECI was 11 a.m. on Friday. Now, after the Commission finalises the new names and symbols for the two factions, those will be used by the two groups for the forthcoming by-elections for Nandigram assembly constituency in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, scheduled on October 6, with the results scheduled to come on October 9.
Although the leaders from both the factions on Friday confirmed the forwarding of their respective choices on names and symbols, they remained tight-lipped about their choices.
The leaders of both the factions have claimed that they will be waiting for the ECI’s announcements and then only will they comment on the matter.
On Thursday night, the ECI announced the freezing of the name All India Trinamool Congress and the party symbol grass-flowers for the time being, which meant that neither of the two factions would be able to use that name and symbol in any election till the Commission takes a final decision in the matter.
The ECI has a list of 184 free symbols. The list includes various symbols ranging from AC, cupboard, apple, bangle, binoculars, computer, CCTV, battery torch, cake, biscuit, capsicum, binoculars to coat, earrings. Any two among the 184 free symbols will now be allotted to the two factions of the Trinamool Congress.
The EC’s decision to freeze the Trinamool name and symbol had evoked mixed reactions from both factions.
Describing the order as unconstitutional, Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee told media persons that since the Commission’s order was unconstitutional, his faction is not accepting it but “will do whatever is required now”.
“… We are not accepting this order. Just as illegal things have to be accepted temporarily, this too has to be accepted,” he said.
On the other hand, Ritabrata Banerjee, in a social media post, welcomed the decision and said that the order underlined that political parties cannot be treated as private entities or passed down through dynastic succession.
“This narrative that was going on regarding the symbol and the name, the Election Commission’s interim order today proves that there is no room for dynastic politics. A political party is not a private limited company, nor can there be an heir to a political party. This has been proven today,” he said.
The Trinamool Congress started its political journey in 1998 under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, after she broke away from the Congress. Since then, the name and symbol have become an integral part of the party, which took power in West Bengal in 2011 after witnessing a lot of ups and downs.
Now, in 2026, West Bengal will see its first election without that name and symbol being present.
(IANS)
