The Election Commission’s decision to assign new names and election symbols to the two rival Trinamool Congress factions has triggered fresh political reactions in West Bengal.
On Friday, the poll panel allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the “Football Player” symbol to the faction led by Mamata Banerjee. The rival faction was given the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol. The arrangements will apply to the upcoming bypolls.
The decision came a day after the Election Commission temporarily barred both factions from using the name All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and its traditional Flowers and Grass symbol for the bypolls. The two groups were subsequently asked to submit choices for alternative names and free symbols.
Reacting to the allocation of the Envelope symbol, Saurav Das, co-convenor of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), took a sarcastic swipe at the development. In a post on X, Das referred to the new symbol and asked, “Envelope mein bharr ke kya aaya tha?” He added that the situation had effectively created its own jokes.
The Election Commission’s move is an interim arrangement linked to the upcoming electoral contests. According to reports, both factions will be treated as recognised political parties in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura for the relevant electoral process.
The change follows an internal dispute over the identity and control of the Trinamool Congress. The Commission’s earlier order prevented both rival groups from using the original party name and its reserved symbol during the bypolls. The latest decision provides separate identities for the two sides so that candidates can contest without using the disputed name and symbol.
The new arrangements are particularly significant because the West Bengal bypolls are scheduled for October 6, with counting set to take place on October 9. The contests include Nandigram and Rejinagar, where the rival political groups are preparing to campaign under their newly assigned identities.
Mamata Banerjee has sharply criticised the Election Commission’s earlier decision to freeze the original party name and symbol. She described the move as unconstitutional and alleged political vendetta, while also questioning the actions of those currently in power. These statements represent Banerjee’s political assessment of the Commission’s decision.
The latest development has therefore added a new layer to the ongoing dispute over the Trinamool Congress identity. For the immediate bypoll process, voters will see the two factions on the ballot under different names and symbols—Football Player for the Mamata-led group and Envelope for the rival faction.
The long-term question of which faction will ultimately retain the original Trinamool Congress identity and its traditional symbol remains separate from the interim arrangement announced for the upcoming elections.
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