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Mamata Backs Congress After Trinamool Name Freeze
Mamata Banerjee’s political group lost the party name and symbol it had used for many years.
The Election Commission gave her group a new name and a football-player symbol.
A rebel group received a different name and an envelope symbol.
After this decision, Mamata said her group would support Congress in two elections.
These elections are in Nandigram in Bengal and Nagaon in Assam.
She called Congress a natural ally and said they should work together against the BJP.
She did not yet decide whether to support Congress in Rejinagar.
The Congress candidate in Nandigram was later arrested in a murder case.
Mamata said the Election Commission’s decision was unfair and that she would challenge it.
Mamata Banerjee backed Congress candidates in Nandigram and Assam’s Nagaon, calling Congress a “natural ally.”
Trinamool nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew from Nandigram before the announcement.
Congress nominee Milan Pradhan was arrested in a murder case about an hour later.
The Election Commission froze the All India Trinamool Congress name and symbol in an interim order.
Mamata’s faction received the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the football-player symbol, while rebels received Democratic Trinamool Congress and the envelope symbol.
- Who
- Mamata Banerjee, the Congress, the two Trinamool factions, the Election Commission, and candidates including Sanchita Pradhan Dey and Milan Pradhan.
- What
- Mamata Banerjee backed Congress in Nandigram and Nagaon after the Election Commission froze the Trinamool Congress name and symbol.
- Where
- Nandigram in West Bengal, Nagaon in Assam, and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district.
- When
- The announcement was made on Friday; all three seats mentioned were scheduled to vote on October 6.
- Why
- Mamata said the support was in the greater interest of the country and described Congress as a natural ally against the BJP.
Mamata Banerjee and supporters
Election Commission and Trinamool rebels
Validity of the Election Commission order
Mamata Banerjee and supporters
Mamata called the interim order unconstitutional, illegal, politically biased, and an attack on democracy.
Election Commission and Trinamool rebels
The Election Commission issued the interim order freezing the disputed party name and symbol and assigned new names and symbols to the two factions.
Control of the Trinamool organisation
Mamata Banerjee and supporters
Mamata said organisational elections had been held as scheduled under the party constitution and rejected the rebels’ allegations.
Election Commission and Trinamool rebels
The rebel faction challenged Mamata’s control of the party, leading to the dispute considered by the Election Commission.
Political alliance with Congress
Mamata Banerjee and supporters
Mamata described Congress as a natural ally and said the parties would fight together against the BJP.
Election Commission and Trinamool rebels
The article notes that Congress’s local leadership had recently sought rejection of nominations from both Trinamool factions, despite the Congress high command condemning the Election Commission’s decision.
Key facts
- Supported seats
- Nandigram Assembly constituency and Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency
- Undecided seat
- Rejinagar in Murshidabad district
- Voting date
- October 6
- Election Commission order
- The All India Trinamool Congress name and symbol were temporarily frozen
- Mamata faction
- Mamata All India Trinamool Congress with the football-player symbol
- Rebel faction
- Democratic Trinamool Congress with the envelope symbol
- Nandigram development
- Trinamool nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew, and Congress nominee Milan Pradhan was later arrested in a murder case
Quotes
Mamata Banerjee
Leader of the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress and former West Bengal chief minister
“Rahul ji called me. They have all tweeted. Arvind (Kejriwal) ji has tweeted. We will fight the battle together; we are not going to surrender to the BJP anyhow. We can support our natural allies. We cannot support the nasty, the dirty, the tricky, the high-loaded virus. Their intention and motivation are clear.”
telegraphindia.com
“This interim order is illegal, and we will fight it out. Why did they have to do this while the nomination process is still on? Why do they have to murder democracy in the dark of the night? We are not going to surrender. We are not going to bow down.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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