The Election Commission on Friday allotted separate names and election symbols to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress, allowing them to contest the upcoming West Bengal Assembly bypolls under new identities.
The faction led by Mamata Banerjee has been allotted the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' and the 'Football Player' symbol, while the group led by Arup Roy has been allotted the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' and the 'Envelope' symbol.
The decision came a day after the Election Commission temporarily barred both factions from using the 'All India Trinamool Congress' name and the party's traditional 'Jora Ghash Phul' (flowers and grass) symbol for the October 6 bypolls.
The poll panel said the new names and symbols are an interim arrangement and will remain in force until it takes a final decision on the dispute over control of the party. The Commission said the substantive matter would be considered under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
The upcoming bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar are scheduled for October 6, with counting of votes set for October 9.
The Election Commission had directed both factions to submit three choices each for alternative names and symbols. The groups were also allowed to retain a reference to the parent party in their proposed names.
The dispute centres on competing claims over the organisational control of the Trinamool Congress, including disagreements over the validity and tenure of the party's organisational bodies. The rival camp has questioned the continuation of the existing National Working Committee, while the Mamata Banerjee faction has defended the validity of its organisational structure.
Mamata Banerjee has criticised the Election Commission's decision to freeze the party's original name and symbol, describing the move as a "black day" and alleging political bias. These are her allegations and have not been independently established.
The Mamata-led faction has also indicated that it will continue to contest the Commission's interim arrangement. Meanwhile, the rival faction has welcomed the order, while also stating that it had wanted the original party symbol.
The 'Jora Ghash Phul' symbol has been associated with the Trinamool Congress since its formation in 1998 after Mamata Banerjee broke away from the Congress.
For the upcoming bypolls, however, the two factions will campaign under their newly allotted identities — the Mamata faction as Mamata All India Trinamool Congress with the Football Player symbol, and the rival group as Democratic Trinamool Congress with the Envelope symbol.
The final decision on which faction will be recognised as the Trinamool Congress and which group will retain the original party name and symbol is still pending before the Election Commission.
