The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued an interim order freezing the original ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ party name and its iconic ‘flowers and grass’ (Jora Ghas Phul) symbol. The decision follows a severe internal split within the party and allocates temporary names and symbols to the rival factions for upcoming assembly bypolls.
The ECI assigned the faction led by founder Mamata Banerjee the official name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” alongside the “Football Player” symbol. Conversely, the rival faction led by Arup Roy and legislative leader Ritabrata Banerjee was allotted “Democratic Trinamool Congress” with an “Envelope” symbol.
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The dispute stems from major political shifts following the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, where the TMC’s strength dropped to 80 seats. Subsequently, 58 MLAs backed Ritabrata Banerjee as the legislature party leader, while 20 Lok Sabha MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar shifted alignment toward the NDA.
The legal procedures mirror recent precedents set in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) disputes. Under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, the ECI will ultimately determine which faction holds the legitimate right to the original name and symbol by examining both legislative numbers and organizational support.
