A ‘symbol war’ is raging in West Bengal between two groups within the Trinamool, one led by the Leader of Opposition, Ritabrata Banerjee, and the other that remains loyal to the dethroned former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
To settle the tug-of-war, the Election Commission has held meetings with representatives from both sides in New Delhi.
The Commission said it will arrange a hearing on Thursday if necessary. Both camps lay claim to the control of the party and the use of the ‘ jora phool (two flower)’ election symbol that had been Mamata Banerjee’s hallmark since she broke away from the Congress to start her own party. In a letter to the former chief minister, the EC stated that it has heard the views of the camp led by Ritabrata Banerjee alongside a delegation from Kalighat, the stronghold of Mamata Banerjee, used as a metonym for her camp. “The Election Commission has not passed any interim order. Another leader from the same camp, Kunal Ghosh, came down heavily on Ritabrata Banerjee, saying that the Trinamool is not anyone’s personal property. “He cannot make any comment like the Trinamool is anyone’s personal property. “Where does the Trinamool stand now? Trinamool is finished.
Wednesday is also the last day for filing nominations for by-elections to the state’s two vacant assembly seats, including Nandigram, where Banerjee had lost to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in a closely fought contest in 2021. It has asked us to appear on September 16 and 17.
Our candidates will contest the by-elections on our symbol,” said Kalyan Banerjee, a close aide of Mamata Banerjee. They are backstabbing Mamata Banerjee, who has built up the party,” said Ghosh. Putting the split within the Trinamool to a political advantage for the BJP, West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul asserted that the Mamata Banerjee-led party stands “finished”. We know what will happen in both Rejinagar and Nandigram bypolls,” she said.
