The Election Commission on Friday allotted separate names and electoral symbols to the rival factions of the Trinamool Congress, allowing the groups led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy to contest elections under new identities ahead of the October 6 Bengal bypolls. The votes will be counted on October 9.
The group led by Arup Roy has been allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol, while the faction led by Mamata Banerjee has been allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the “Football Player” symbol.
Neither faction will be permitted to use the original party name or symbol in the upcoming bypolls, including those in Nandigram and Rejinagar scheduled for October 6, the poll body said. “Candidates authorised by the two factions in Rejinagar, Nandigram and Nagaon will be considered under their respective newly allotted party names and symbols, subject to fulfilment of statutory requirements under Section 36 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The group led by Arup Roy has been allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol, while the faction led by Mamata Banerjee has been allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the “Football Player” symbol. Both groups will be treated as recognised political parties in the three states of Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura, the poll body said in its Friday order. The decision follows the poll body’s interim order on Thursday, which froze the “All India Trinamool Congress” name and the “Flowers & Grass” symbol amid an internal dispute over control of the party. This allocation is temporary, and will be in effect until the ECI pens it’s final order,” the poll body said.
Earlier reporting noted: Mamata’s TMC faction gets football player symbol and new party name; Ritabrata camp gets envelope The Election Commission has allotted separate names and election symbols to the two rival Trinamool Congress factions led by TMC founder and former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and present leader of the opposition (LoP) in the Bengal assembly, Ritabrata Banerjee. Earlier reporting noted: The Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction has been allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘envelope’ as its election symbol. Earlier reporting noted: Meanwhile, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has been allotted the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘football player’ as its election symbol.
