States » EastPosted at: Sep 17 2026 7:44PM


TMC symbol row leaves Nandigram, Rejinagar bypoll candidates in limbo

Kolkata, Sep 17 (UNI) The Election Commission is yet to announce its final decision on the Trinamool Congress’ election symbol, leaving the fate of candidates fielded by the two rival factions in the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls uncertain.
The Commission is likely to take a decision on the issue on Friday, sources said.
The nomination scrutiny of the two Trinamool candidates in Nandigram remained inconclusive on Thursday.
The returning officer is expected to take a decision by 11 am on Friday on whether Kalighat Trinamool’s candidate Sanchita Pradhan De or Ritabrata Banerjee camp nominee Mohammad Ehetashamul Haque will be allowed to contest using the party’s twin-flower symbol.
The development has also raised questions over whether the returning officer can take a decision on the symbol before the Election Commission settles the dispute.
Both factions have claimed the right to contest using the symbol.
The dispute over the Trinamool Congress symbol has continued for several months, with the Election Commission seeking documents from both sides on multiple occasions.
Representatives of the Kalighat and Ritabrata camps have also appeared before the Commission.
The two factions were again summoned to Delhi on Thursday for separate meetings with the full Commission.
The Ritabrata camp met the Commission for nearly an hour.
Ritabrata Banerjee, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Akhruzzaman and Arup Roy, along with their lawyer, represented the faction.
After the meeting, Banerjee said the camp had submitted all documents sought by the Commission and placed its arguments before the poll panel.
I am not sure when the Election Commission will give their decision but we are confident that we will get the twin-flower symbol,” Ritabrata said.
Meanwhile, both factions have already begun campaigning for the bypolls, announcing separate candidates in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
Both sides have maintained that their nominees will contest using the Trinamool symbol.
Wednesday was the last date for filing nominations in the two constituencies.
With the Commission yet to settle the symbol dispute, uncertainty remains over whether either faction will be able to use the twin-flower symbol in the bypolls.
The Commission’s proceedings are aimed at examining the competing claims of the two factions and determining which group has the legal entitlement to the Trinamool Congress name and symbol.
One possibility being discussed is that the Commission could freeze the symbol temporarily and take a final decision after the bypolls. UNI SAG CDS
Tags: #TMC symbol row leaves Nandigram# Rejinagar bypoll candidates in limbo
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