A 10-member delegation from the rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), headed by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, met the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday to stake their claim over the party's name, symbol, and leadership.
The delegation, which included Banerjee and nine other MLAs, held discussions with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the other Election Commissioners at Nirvachan Sadan. The meeting was scheduled following a request from the rebel group, which had approached the poll panel earlier.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee asserted that his faction represents the genuine TMC, claiming the support of more than two-thirds of the party's elected representatives, including MLAs, corporators, councillors, and zila parishad members. "We are TMC as we have over two-thirds majority," he stated.
The development comes amid an intensifying internal rift in the Trinamool Congress following the party's poor performance in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections. The rebel camp has challenged the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, with the faction reportedly backing Ritabrata Banerjee and others in key positions. They argue that they hold the numerical majority required under Election Commission guidelines to be recognised as the official party.
In a meeting held in Kolkata earlier in June, Ritabrata Banerjee faction has made Howrah veteran TMC MLA as the party chairperson, practically removing Mamata Banerjee - the party founder from the post. The Mamata Banerjee loyalists have laughed it out and called it a mockery of democracy. “They are unhappy with the party and yet they want the party name and the symbol. This is laughable that some people are trying to claim a party that they haven’t founded - as theirs. People of Bengal know who Mamata Banerjee is and who founded the TMC. We don’t need validation from traitors”, said Mahua Moitra, TMC MP.
The dispute centres on control of the TMC's election symbol and other assets. Under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, disputes over party symbols are resolved based on factors such as majority support among elected representatives and other organisational strength.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction has contested the legitimacy of the rebel claims and questioned aspects of the Election Commission's engagement with the group. This meeting marks a significant escalation in the ongoing power struggle within the party, which has seen expulsions, parallel organisational structures, and competing claims over leadership in the state assembly. The ECI is expected to examine the submissions from both sides before taking a decision on the matter.
