📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Biswarup Ganguly
Politics
Election Commission freezes TMC name, symbol; Mamata and Ritabrata factions get new identities
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 19 Sep 2026, 04:16 AM
👁 10
The Election Commission has barred the Trinamool Congress from using its original name and election symbol, assigning separate identities to the factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee.
The Election Commission of India issued an order on Thursday that suspends the use of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) name and its iconic flower symbol pending resolution of an internal dispute. The freeze applies to both the main party and its two rival factions, each claiming legitimacy over the TMC brand.
The split emerged after senior leader Ritabrata Banerjee formed a breakaway group, challenging the authority of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Both sides filed petitions before the commission, prompting the EC to intervene to prevent confusion among voters ahead of upcoming state elections.
In its directive, the commission granted provisional names and symbols to the two factions, allowing them to contest elections independently while the legal battle continues. The decision underscores the EC’s role in maintaining electoral clarity and could reshape the political calculus in West Bengal.
Stakeholders, including party workers and political analysts, note that the temporary identities may affect campaign strategies, especially in constituencies where the TMC traditionally enjoys strong support. The matter remains under judicial review, and the commission has indicated that the freeze will be lifted once a final verdict is rendered.
The split emerged after senior leader Ritabrata Banerjee formed a breakaway group, challenging the authority of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Both sides filed petitions before the commission, prompting the EC to intervene to prevent confusion among voters ahead of upcoming state elections.
In its directive, the commission granted provisional names and symbols to the two factions, allowing them to contest elections independently while the legal battle continues. The decision underscores the EC’s role in maintaining electoral clarity and could reshape the political calculus in West Bengal.
Stakeholders, including party workers and political analysts, note that the temporary identities may affect campaign strategies, especially in constituencies where the TMC traditionally enjoys strong support. The matter remains under judicial review, and the commission has indicated that the freeze will be lifted once a final verdict is rendered.