ECI Assigns Fresh Names And Symbols To Rival Trinamool Factions Ahead Of Bypolls

The Election Commission of India has allotted new names and election symbols to two rival Trinamool Congress factions. The decision will remain temporary until the Commission settles the claim over the original party name and symbol.

The faction led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee will contest as Mamata All India Trinamool Congress.

The Commission assigned it the Football Player symbol. It recognised the faction as a political party in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura.

The rival faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, will contest as Democratic Trinamool Congress. It received the Envelope symbol and the same recognition across the three states.

The ECI has frozen the original All India Trinamool Congress name and its traditional Flowers and Grass symbol until it issues a final decision. Both factions must therefore use their newly allotted identities in the interim.

The arrangement covers the October 6 Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Counting is scheduled for October 9, according to the supplied ECI notification.

The Mamata-led faction will likewise contest the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll in Assam under its new name and symbol.

Founded in 1998 after Mamata Banerjee left the Congress, the Trinamool Congress contested elections under its original name and Flowers and Grass symbol. The party came to power in West Bengal in 2011.

The latest order means the state will witness its first election since 1998 without the original Trinamool identity on the ballot.

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