ECI Assigns New Names, Symbols to Rival Trinamool Factions Ahead of Elections

On Monday, September 18, 2026, the Election Commission of India announced that it has recognised two rival factions that broke away from the Trinamool Congress and has allotted each a separate party name and electoral symbol. The decision formalises the status of the splinter groups, which had been contesting the commission’s authority through legal petitions. By assigning distinct symbols, the ECI aims to avoid voter confusion in forthcoming polls. Analysts say the move could force Mamata Banerjee’s main party to recalibrate its campaign, as the newly named factions may split the traditional vote base in West Bengal. The development adds another variable to the political calculations ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled later this year.