TMC Name, Symbol Frozen: EC Orders Mamata And Ritabrata Factions To Pick New Names

West Bengal: The Election Commission has provisionally blocked the All India Trinamool Congress' official name and electoral symbol, prohibiting both opposing groups from using them in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly byelections.

The temporary ruling, issued on Thursday, comes amid a heated battle for leadership of the Trinamool Congress between Mamata Banerjee's group and the rival camp led by Ritabrata Banerjee, with veteran MLA Arup Roy leading the latter faction.

The decision comes only days before the October 6 by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar, where both parties have filed candidates while claiming the TMC identity and traditional symbol.

Why Did The EC Freeze The TMC Name And Symbol?

The Election Commission has acknowledged the presence of two opposing organizations battling for control of the Trinamool Congress and stated that the disagreement requires a substantive resolution under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

Until a definitive decision is made, neither side may use the term 'All India Trinamool Congress' or the 'Flowers & Grass' symbol in the ongoing by-election process. The temporary arrangement is designed to keep both factions on equal footing while the Commission investigates their rival claims. The final decision will determine which group, if either, can use the party’s reserved name and symbol.

The two factions have been asked to submit three preferred names and three free symbols each by 11 am on September 18. They can also seek a name that retains a reference to their parent organisation, ‘All India Trinamool Congress’. The EC will subsequently allot a separate name and free symbol to each faction for the bypolls.

How Did The TMC Rift Turn Into A Full-Blown Split?  

The dispute has its roots in the Trinamool Congress’ defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, after which an open rebellion emerged within the party. Ritabrata Banerjee, a first-time MLA who was subsequently expelled by the TMC, emerged as a prominent face of the rebellion. In early June, he claimed the backing of around 60 of the party’s 80 MLAs. The legislators supported his claim to head the TMC legislature party, after which Assembly Speaker recognised him as the Leader of the Opposition.

The rebel legislators maintained that Mamata Banerjee would continue to remain their overall leader but sought changes in the party’s functioning. They also opposed the influence of her nephew and TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Ritabrata had said the rebel camp did not initially intend to break away from the TMC.

The confrontation, however, soon moved beyond the legislature and into the party organisation. On June 22, the Ritabrata-led faction claimed that Mamata Banerjee had been removed as TMC chairperson and announced Arup Roy as chairperson of what it described as the “real TMC”. 

Mamata’s camp rejected the move and continued to recognise her as the party chief. The two sides subsequently approached the Election Commission, each claiming the right to the party’s name, organisation and electoral symbol.

Both Factions Now Face A New Electoral Identity

The conflict escalated ahead of the bypolls after both camps announced candidates for Nandigram and Rejinagar under the TMC name and symbol. With the EC’s interim order, neither faction can now campaign in these bypolls using the party’s existing electoral identity. Both will have to contest under separately allotted names and free symbols until the Commission reaches its final decision.

The immediate task for both camps is therefore to submit their preferred names and symbols by the September 18 deadline. The larger question of who controls the All India Trinamool Congress, and who ultimately gets its reserved name and ‘Flowers & Grass’ symbol, remains pending before the Election Commission.

The final order will settle the dispute over the party’s official electoral identity.