Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Trinamool Split Raises Questions About Mamata Banerjee’s Future
The Trinamool Congress, or TMC, is a political party created by Mamata Banerjee.
The party is now divided into competing groups.
Because of the dispute, the Election Commission temporarily froze the party’s old name and election symbol.
Mamata Banerjee’s group received a new name and a symbol showing a football player.
A candidate chosen for a by-election in Nandigram then withdrew from the contest.
The article says the TMC once grew strong by opposing the CPM and winning power in West Bengal.
It also says corruption and internal problems weakened the party over time.
The BJP’s growth in West Bengal has made the competition more difficult for the TMC.
The analysis questions whether Mamata Banerjee can reunite and rebuild the party.
The Election Commission froze the Trinamool Congress name and its “Jora Ghash Phool” symbol amid a factional split.
The Mamata Banerjee faction received the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and a football-player symbol.
Nandigram bypoll candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination and later met Suvendu Adhikari about possibly joining the BJP.
The analysis credits Mamata Banerjee with building the party by leading opposition to the CPM and defeating it in West Bengal in 2011.
It argues that corruption allegations, organizational erosion and the BJP’s expansion have created a serious challenge to the TMC’s survival.
- Who
- The Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee factions of the Trinamool Congress are involved, with the BJP and Suvendu Adhikari also playing a role in the political developments.
- What
- The Election Commission froze the TMC’s name and symbol amid a split and allotted new names and symbols to the rival factions.
- When
- The party originally received recognition on 2 January 1998; the factional dispute and Nandigram bypoll developments are described as current events.
- Where
- The dispute concerns the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, while the original symbol was submitted to the Election Commission in Delhi.
- Why
- The Election Commission acted because rival factions were contesting the party’s identity; the analysis links the split to wider organizational weakness and political conflict.
Banerjee and TMC Supporters
BJP and Internal-Critics View
Cause of the party split
Banerjee and TMC Supporters
Mamata Banerjee said successive developments showed that the BJP was trying to destroy democracy and eliminate the Trinamool Congress.
BJP and Internal-Critics View
Suvendu Adhikari said a party breaking into three or four factions showed a lack of cohesion; the analysis also argues that internal organizational weakness is central to the crisis.
Meaning of the new symbol
Banerjee and TMC Supporters
The football-player symbol connects the rebranded faction to Mamata Banerjee’s “khela hobe” political message.
BJP and Internal-Critics View
The loss of the original name and “Jora Ghash Phool” symbol is presented as evidence that the party’s historic political identity has fractured.
TMC’s future
Banerjee and TMC Supporters
Mamata Banerjee remains active and is considering district-level campaigns and a party revamp.
BJP and Internal-Critics View
The analysis says corruption allegations, alienated voters, factionalism and the BJP’s expansion could prevent the TMC from surviving effectively outside power.
- Original party recognition
- The All India Trinamool Congress received Election Commission recognition on 2 January 1998.
- Original symbol
- The “Jora Ghash Phool” symbol was drawn by Mamata Banerjee and submitted to the Election Commission in December 1997.
- New Mamata faction name
- “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress.”
- New Mamata faction symbol
- A football player, linked in the article to the “khela hobe” slogan.
- Nandigram candidate
- Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her candidacy two days after the nomination deadline and met Suvendu Adhikari.
- Mamata Banerjee’s age
- The analysis states that she is 75 years old.
- TMC’s political rise
- The party defeated the CPM and came to power in West Bengal in 2011.