Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee (Img: A Still from the PC)
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has strongly reacted to the Election Commission’s decision to give separate names and symbols to two rival factions of the party, alleging that the move is “illegal, undemocratic and politically motivated.”
The Election Commission’s order came after a dispute over the identity of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), following which the poll body froze the party’s original name and its traditional Jora Phool (flowers and grass) symbol.
After freezing the original party identity, the Election Commission allotted separate names and symbols to both groups.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction has been named “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and has received the Football Player symbol.
The symbol has drawn attention because of its connection with Mamata Banerjee’s 2021 Bengal Assembly election campaign, when she used football imagery during her “Khela Hobe” campaign while seeking support from voters.
The rival faction led by Arup Roy has been named “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and has been allotted the Envelope symbol.
Both factions have been recognised as political parties in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura.
Reacting to the order, Mamata Banerjee accused the Election Commission of undermining democratic values and claimed that the decision was aimed at weakening her party’s political identity.
The Trinamool Congress has maintained that the original party structure and symbol represent the organisation built over decades under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership.
The dispute over the party’s name and symbol has created a new political challenge for both factions. The Election Commission had asked the rival groups to submit alternative names and symbols after the original identity was frozen.
The development has also triggered reactions from opposition leaders, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioning the decision and drawing comparisons with earlier political party symbol disputes.
With the two factions now operating under separate identities, the upcoming electoral contests will mark the first major political test for both groups after the split.
