The two factions of the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy, on Friday submitted their preferred names and symbols ahead of the October 6 bypolls as directed by the Election Commission.
To place both the rival groups on an even keel and to protect their rights and interests, the poll body on Thursday, in an interim order, directed the competing groups not to use the party name and "Flowers and Grass symbol" during the Bengal bypolls.
The poll body said both the groups would be known by names of their choice and, if they desired, could retain a linkage with their parent party, the Trinamool Congress.
They may indicate the names of three free symbols, in the order of their preference, any one of which may be allotted to their candidates by the commission," the poll body said.
"Both the groups are hereby directed to furnish, latest by 11:00 AM on 18.09.2026: The names of their groups by which they may be recognised by the commission and, to this end, give three options in order of preference, any one of which may be approved by the commission and the symbols which may be allotted to the candidates set up, if any, by the respective groups," the poll body said in its Thursday order.
On Friday, Ritabrata Banerjee, who heads a group of around 60 of the 80 newly elected Trinamool MLAs who distanced themselves from former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the party's defeat to the BJP in the Assembly polls held in April, submitted three fresh names to the poll body.
The proposed names of the Ritabrata faction are: 'Nationalist Trinamool Congress,' 'Democratic [Trinamool],' or 'West Bengal Trinamool', sources said. As for the symbols, one of the three options is a torch, the sources said.
The names being proposed by Mamata Banerjee include 'Mamata' and 'Trinamool Congress' as part of the party's name, sources said.
Regarding the symbols, the sources said, two are linked to the theme of 'sports' - reflecting the party's earlier 'Khela Hobe' (Game On) slogan.
The poll body's Thursday order noted that the Returning Officers for both constituencies had already received nominations from candidates claiming to be Trinamool nominees, with competing Form-Bs authorised by Roy and Banerjee, respectively.
In Rejinagar, where the seat fell vacant following the resignation of Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder Humayun Kabir, Safiuzzaman Saikh had filed his nomination claiming to be a Trinamool candidate with a Form-B authorised by Roy, while Rabiul Alam Chowdhury had also filed his nomination claiming to be a Trinamool candidate with a Form-B authorised by Banerjee.
In Nandigram, where the bypoll was necessitated after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari gave up the seat and chose to retain Bhabanipur, where he defeated Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee in the Assembly elections, Ehteshmul Haque and Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) had similarly filed nominations claiming to represent the Trinamool, with their Form-Bs authorised by Roy and Banerjee, respectively.
The counting of votes will take place on October 9.
The Trinamool Dispute
The dispute goes back to June 22, when Ritabrata Banerjee convened a meeting of rebel Trinamool leaders and announced the formation of a new National Working Committee of the party, with Arup Roy being elected as its chairperson.
Ritabrata Banerjee had claimed that the party was facing a "constitutional crisis", arguing that Article 20 of the Trinamool Congress' constitution requires the National Working Committee to be constituted every three years.
He said the previous committee, formed in February 2022, completed its tenure in February 2025 and has not been renewed.
The Mamata Banerjee camp has maintained that the rival faction is relying on an outdated provision and overlooking subsequent amendments to the party constitution.
It has also disputed the rival faction's claim regarding the composition of the party, saying public notices are issued during the organisational election process, and all MPs and MLAs are made members of the party.
It has further maintained that the June 22 meeting could not constitute a valid organisational exercise as the prescribed multi-tier process for constituting the party's organisational committees was not followed.
The Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction has maintained that its June 22 meeting was held in accordance with the party constitution and said the EC would decide which side is legitimate.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
