Mamata Banerjee And Arup Roy (Img: Dynamite NEws)
Kolkata: The Election Commission has formally split the Trinamool Congress, assigning separate names and symbols to the rival factions after a dispute over the party’s identity. While the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has been named the “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and allotted the Football Player symbol a mark linked to her 2021 “Khela Hobe” campaign the Arup Roy-led faction has been named the “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and given the Envelope symbol
The decision comes ahead of the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls, where both factions will now enter the electoral battle under different identities.
The Election Commission has allotted the “Football Player” symbol to the faction led by Mamata Banerjee, naming it “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress.”
The symbol carries a political connection with Mamata’s 2021 Bengal Assembly election campaign, when she campaigned from a wheelchair after suffering an injury and kicked a football at a rally as part of her popular “Khela Hobe” campaign message.
Five years later, the football symbol has returned as the official identity of her faction in the battle over the party founded by her.
The rival faction led by Arup Roy has been allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” along with the “Envelope” election symbol.
The Election Commission has recognised both groups as political parties in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura, allowing them to contest elections under their newly assigned identities.
The decision came after the poll body froze the original All India Trinamool Congress name and the Jora Phool (flowers-and-grass) symbol, following the dispute between the two groups.
The split followed internal disagreements within the Trinamool Congress after the party’s defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The rebel faction questioned the authority of the existing leadership and challenged decisions taken by the party organisation. The Mamata camp, however, disputed these claims and maintained that the party structure remained valid.
After freezing the original name and symbol, the Election Commission gave both sides time to submit alternative names and symbols.
The Election Commission’s move has triggered a political debate, with opposition leaders questioning the decision-making process.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the development reflected a pattern similar to earlier party symbol disputes involving the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party. Congress leader K.C. Venugopal also criticised the timing of the decision.
With both factions now having separate identities, the TMC’s original symbol and name remain at the centre of a major political battle that could shape the party’s future ahead of upcoming elections.
