TMC Symbol Row: Mamata Camp Gets Football Player, Rebel Faction Envelope Symbol For Bengal Bypoll
The Election Commission on Friday allotted separate temporary names and election symbols to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress after freezing the party’s existing name and its traditional ‘flowers and grass’ symbol.
The faction led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been assigned the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘football player’ symbol. The rival group has been allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘envelope’ symbol.
The new identities will be valid only for the upcoming October 6 West Bengal bypoll, according to the Election Commission’s interim arrangement.
EC Freezes TMC Name And Symbol
The Commission’s decision comes a day after it froze the use of the ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ name and the party’s long-standing ‘flowers and grass’ symbol by either faction.
The move followed an internal dispute within the party, with the two groups staking competing claims to the organisation’s political identity.
The Election Commission said the larger dispute requires a substantive determination under the applicable legal framework. Until then, the two factions have been given separate identities for the bypoll.
Two Factions Asked To Submit Choices
As part of the interim process, both groups were asked to provide three preferred names and three available election symbols by 11 am on Friday.
Following their submissions, the Commission allotted the football-player symbol to the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and the envelope symbol to the rival camp.
The names and symbols are not permanent replacements for the TMC’s established political identity. They have been approved specifically as temporary arrangements for the October 6 bypoll.
Dispute Began After Assembly Polls
The factional dispute reportedly emerged within the TMC legislature party after the party’s defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections in May. The disagreement later extended to Parliament and eventually became a dispute over the party’s name and election symbol.
The Election Commission’s interim order has therefore created separate ballot identities for the two groups while the broader question of control over the party remains under consideration.
The arrangement will be particularly relevant for the upcoming bypolls, where candidates from the rival factions will contest under the newly allotted names and symbols.