Mamata faction suggests alternative name, symbol after EC freezes TMC identity

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

• TMC's name and symbol frozen by ECI for October 6 bypolls
• Mamata-led faction submits new name and symbol choices to ECI
• Bengal BJP calls ECI order 'divine justice' against TMC

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) has submitted an alternative name and symbol 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.

When the former Chief Minister 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.

The Mamata-led faction has registered a "strong protest" against the ECI's interim order which directed the rival groups to submit three choices for a new party name.

The symbols had to be selected from the list of free or available symbols notified by independents and registered unrecognised political parties.

The temporary arrangement will remain in force until the dispute over the party’s identity is finally decided.

Reacting to the ECI order, Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya called it “divine justice” and referred to an earlier TMC diktat in North 24 Parganas over 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)