IndiaPosted at: Sep 17 2026 7:14PM


EC likely to rule by Friday on TMC name, ‘Twin Flower’ symbol dispute ahead of Bengal bypolls

New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) The Election Commission of India is likely to take a decision by the end of this week, possibly on Friday, on the dispute over the Trinamool Congress (TMC) name and its traditional twin-flowers-on-grass election symbol, with rival factions led by Mamata Banerjee and West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee making their respective submissions before the poll panel in New Delhi on Thursday.
The hearing assumes significance ahead of the October 6 Assembly by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar, with both factions seeking clarity over the party's organisational authority, official name and entitlement to use the election symbol. The Election Commission is examining the arguments and documents submitted by the two sides before deciding the competing claims.
The Ritabrata Banerjee-led five-member delegation met the full bench of the Election Commission at 3 p.m., followed by the Mamata Banerjee faction's delegation at 4 p.m. The two sides presented rival positions on the party's leadership, organisational structure and control over the traditional jora ghash phool symbol.
Senior advocate and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, who represented the Mamata faction along with party leaders Derek O'Brien, Sagarika Ghose and Saket Gokhale, has maintained that the Election Commission has not passed any interim order freezing the symbol. He has asserted that, unless the poll panel expressly rules otherwise, Mamata Banerjee remains the party's official chairperson and her faction's candidates will contest the October 6 Nandigram and Rejinagar by-elections using the traditional TMC symbol.
The Mamata faction has also rejected the existence of any organisational dispute, questioning the legal basis of the rival camp's claim and opposing any interim order affecting the party's name or symbol. Its representatives have maintained that the faction is entitled to contest the forthcoming bypolls under the established TMC identity.
The Ritabrata Banerjee faction, however, has sought a formal determination by the Election Commission on which group is legally entitled to represent the All India Trinamool Congress. After his delegation's meeting with the poll panel, Banerjee reportedly said both factions had submitted conflicting Forms A and B in support of their claims to the traditional election symbol, leaving the final decision to the Election Commission and the Returning Officer.
Banerjee said his delegation had presented its case concerning the party's official name, leadership structure and control over the twin-flower symbol. Taking a direct swipe at the rival camp, he remarked, “Neither account nor ledger, whatever Dr. Mamata Banerjee says is correct—this cannot happen,” underlining his faction's challenge to the authority claimed by the Mamata camp.
The Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction has expressed confidence that it will secure recognition and the official party symbol. Its claim, however, remains subject to the Election Commission's decision after considering the submissions and documents placed before it.
Meanwhile, TMC leaders Saugata Roy and Sagarika Ghose have criticised the Election Commission's decision to hear the rival faction. They questioned the poll panel's decision to grant an audience to leaders they described as “expelled”, arguing that it was inconsistent with the commission's protocols concerning authorised party signatories.
With the Nandigram and Rejinagar by-elections scheduled for October 6, the Election Commission's expected decision by Friday could have immediate implications for the rival factions' claims over the TMC's organisational identity, candidate nominations and use of the traditional election symbol.
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Tags: #EC likely to rule by Friday on TMC name# ‘Twin Flower’ symbol dispute ahead of Bengal bypolls
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