After TMC freeze, Mamata faction proposes 3 party names, 2 sports-related symbols

The Mamata Banerjee-led faction has sent alternative name and symbol choices to the Election Commission after the Trinamool Congress identity was frozen for the October 6 bypolls. The move comes amid a deepening split in the party after its Assembly poll setback and subsequent defections.

In Short

• Mamata Banerjee-led TMC submits 3 alternative names, 2 symbols to ECI
• Names refer to ex-CM and TMC; symbols relate to sports
• Ritabrata Banerjee camp proposes 2 party names, three symbols

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) has submitted three alternative names and two symbols to the Election Commission of India (ECI) after the poll panel froze the party’s name and its “flowers and grass” symbol for the October 6 bypolls.

The faction sent its choices at 11.36 pm on Thursday, according to sources, ahead of the deadline of 11 am on Friday.

According to sources, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has suggested three names and two symbol choices to the ECI.

One of the names, “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress”, has been confirmed, while the faction’s first preference for a symbol is one related to football. The other symbol choice is also related to sports.

Meanwhile, the TMC faction led by Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee has proposed “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and “Nationalist Trinamool Congress” as options for its new party name, along with three symbols.

The poll panel is expected to decide on the names and symbols for both factions later today.

When Mamata Banerjee founded the TMC in 1998 after breaking away from the Congress, the hand-drawn “flowers and grass” symbol became closely associated with the party’s grassroots identity.

While her faction has registered a “strong protest” against the ECI’s interim order, Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya described the move as “divine justice”, referring to an earlier TMC diktat in North 24 Parganas banning the sale of items featuring images of a lotus flower.

“This is divine justice. Remember once Trinamool had issued a diktat across North 24 Parganas banning the sale of items featuring images of a lotus flower. It makes no difference to the people whether the TMC symbol remains or is gone, because there is no party called Trinamool any more; Trinamool is dead—Trinamool is finished,” Bhattacharya said.

The developments come against the backdrop of a rebellion within the TMC following its drubbing in the May Assembly polls.

Ritabrata Banerjee, a first-time MLA who was later expelled by the TMC, emerged as the face of the rebellion. In June, he secured the support of around 60 of the party’s 80 MLAs in the state Assembly. The rebel legislators backed him as the leader of the TMC legislature party, following which the Assembly Speaker recognised him as the Leader of the Opposition.

The rebels said Mamata Banerjee remained their overall leader but sought changes in the party’s functioning and opposed the role of her nephew and TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Ritabrata also said the rebel camp had no initial plans to split from the TMC.

The rebellion later turned into a wider organisational challenge. By June 22, the Ritabrata-led faction claimed to have removed Mamata Banerjee as TMC chairperson and appointed senior MLA Arup Roy as chairperson of what it called the “real TMC”.

Mamata’s loyalists rejected the move and continued to recognise her as the party chief.

- Ends
(With PTI inputs)