TMC Rebel Faction Approach Election Commission Demanding Party Name and Symbol

New Delhi: In a significant development in West Bengal politics, the rebel faction of Trinamool Congress led by Opposition Leader Ritabrata Banerjee has approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking ownership of the party name and official symbol. A ten-member delegation met with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the full bench of the ECI in New Delhi to press their claim.

The decision to approach the ECI directly was taken at the rebel faction's special convention on June 22. They had also submitted a written application to the state election commission office in Kolkata. Ritabrata Banerjee told the media that the faction expects a favourable response from the Commission soon. He declined to comment on the claims of the official faction led by Mamata Banerjee, but said the party had lost despite Mamata's photograph being displayed across all 291 constituencies, and that the verdict of Bengal's people had gone against the Trinamool.

The internal crisis in the TMC intensified following the party's heavy defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Of the party's 80 MLAs, 64 came out publicly against Mamata Banerjee's leadership and formed the rebel camp. The rift between the two factions has since grown to an irreconcilable level. The rebel faction, now constituting a majority, has declared support for Ritabrata Banerjee as the new Opposition leader in the Assembly, announced a new 30-member National Working Committee excluding Mamata, and approached the Election Commission for the party's name and symbol. This sets the stage for major legal battles and political manoeuvres in Bengal politics in the days ahead.