Mamata Banerjee has strongly opposed the Election Commission’s interim decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress’ original name and election symbol, calling it “illegal” and alleging political bias. Speaking publicly after the order, the Trinamool Congress founder said she would continue to challenge the decision and would not surrender her party’s identity.
The Election Commission on September 17 banned the two factions from using the name “All India Trinamool Congress” and the party’s traditional “Flowers and Grass” symbol as the contest over the identity of the organisation is on its way. On September 18, the poll panel gave the two parties different names and symbols ahead of the upcoming bypolls. Mamata Banerjee’s faction was awarded “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the “Football Player” symbol, and the rival camp led by Arup Roy got “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol.
Banerjee said the party she founded in 1998 after breaking out of the Congress has been “hijacked” by the BJP. She accused the BJP of using political pressure and agencies against opposition parties and claimed similar things have happened before among the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party.
"This is totally political bias and vendetta," Banerjee said, and questioned the Election Commission’s decision. She also claimed there were irregularities in votes and electronic voting machines, which she said are still part of her political argument but not a separate finding in the Election Commission decision.
Banerjee said her party had been under pressure to support the BJP but had refused. She told him the recent action against her party was part of a larger political strategy. She said the Election Commission’s decision was unconstitutional and illegal and she and her group would continue to fight the legal and political fight.
Mamata Calls EC Order A ‘Black Day’
Banerjee also described the development as a “black day” in the country’s democratic history. She said she respected the Constitution and constitutional institutions but also criticized the Election Commission’s intervention and questioned why the party’s name and symbol had been frozen.
The Election Commission’s September 17 order was an interim arrangement. The panel said the two groups’ competing claims over the party needed substantive consideration under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. The new allocation will allow the two groups to contest the immediate bypolls under separate identities but is not a final determination on ownership of the original party name and symbol.
Mamata Backs Congress Candidate In Nandigram
The dispute also has had an immediate impact on the Nandigram Assembly bypoll. Banerjee announced support for the Congress candidate after Sanchita Dey Pradhan, who had been fielded by her faction, withdrew her candidature following a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The development adds another layer to the contest in Nandigram, a constituency that has remained politically significant in West Bengal. With the Mamata-led faction now contesting under a new name and symbol, the bypoll will also provide an early electoral test of the newly created identities.
The Election Commission has said the new arrangements apply to the upcoming bypoll process. The Mamata-led faction will use the “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” name and the “Football Player” symbol while the rival faction will use “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol. Both groups have been recognised for the relevant electoral purposes in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura under the interim arrangement.
Mamata Banerjee's immediate challenge is twofold: contesting the upcoming bypolls under a newly allotted identity and re-fighting the issue of the original Trinamool Congress name and logo. The recent comments show that the issue is expected to be a major political and legal battle in West Bengal in the weeks ahead.
