ECI Allots New Names and Symbols to Rival Trinamool Congress Factions

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has assigned new party names and symbols to the two rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress, following an interim order that barred both groups from using the party's original name and its reserved Flowers and Grass symbol. The decision, issued on September 18, 2026, comes ahead of the October 6 bypolls for the Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly constituencies in West Bengal. The faction led by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the football player symbol. The rival faction associated with Ritabrata Banerjee has been recognized as the Democratic Trinamool Congress and assigned the envelope symbol. Both groups have been formally recognized as political parties in West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Tripura. The ECI's intervention follows a period of internal upheaval within the Trinamool Congress. On September 17, the Commission prohibited both factions from utilizing the party's established identity, citing a dispute that requires substantive determination under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. This freeze effectively forced both camps to submit alternative names and symbols to the poll panel by the morning of September 18. The internal conflict escalated after the Trinamool Congress lost power in West Bengal earlier this year. Following the party's defeat, 58 legislators rebelled against the leadership, eventually backing Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition. West Bengal Assembly Speaker Rathindra Nath Bose subsequently recognized this rebel group as the principal opposition party. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction has contested these developments, characterizing the ECI's freeze as contrary to law. The ECI's decision has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress party. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal publicly criticized the Commission for freezing the name and symbol of a party established 28 years ago. Conversely, the Ritabrata Banerjee faction has welcomed the ECI's directive. In a related development, the Nandigram bypoll contest saw a sudden shift on September 18. Sanchita Dey Pradhan, who had filed her nomination as the candidate for the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, withdrew her candidacy following a meeting with the former Chief Minister. Her withdrawal leaves the Mamata camp without a candidate in the constituency.