TMC vs TMC: EC bars both factions from using party symbol, name in West Bengal assembly bypolls - The Times of India

**Election Commission Bars Both Trinamool Factions From Using Party Symbol and Name in West Bengal By‑polls**

NEW DELHI — The Election Commission of India (EC) has issued an interim order that prohibits any group claiming to be the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from using the party’s official “grass‑roots” symbol and the “Trinamool” name in the upcoming West Bengal legislative assembly by‑polls. The freeze applies to both the faction led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the breakaway camp headed by senior leader Ritabrata Mahato, who split from the main party earlier this year after a bitter power struggle. The EC scheduled a hearing for September 17 to examine the rival claims and decide which entity, if any, will retain the legal right to the party’s emblem and title.

The decision comes amid a volatile political climate in the state, where by‑polls for two vacant seats—Chandannagar and a second constituency in Kolkata—are slated for early October. Both factions have already announced separate candidates, raising the prospect of a direct face‑off that could split the traditional TMC vote bank. The EC’s move, intended to prevent voter confusion and preserve the integrity of the electoral process, has sparked a flurry of reactions. The opposition Indian National Congress, which is fielding its own candidates, condemned the order as a “late‑night birthday gift to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” alleging that the ruling centre is exploiting the intra‑party feud to weaken the TMC’s electoral prospects.

Mamata Banerjee’s camp described the freeze as an “unwarranted interference” that threatens the party’s grassroots outreach, while Mahato’s faction accused the EC of “favoring the incumbent government.” Legal experts note that the commission’s powers under the Representation of the People Act allow it to restrain the use of symbols that could mislead voters, but the final verdict will hinge on documentation of party registration, membership rolls, and the outcomes of the scheduled hearing. As the by‑polls approach, the two TMC factions are scrambling to rebrand their campaigns, either by adopting provisional logos or by emphasizing the personal appeal of their leaders, a strategy that could reshape the political calculus in a state where the TMC has ruled unchallenged since 2011.