Archive · 10 Sep 2026
Election Commission to Hear TMC Factions Over Party Symbol Claims
The Trinamool Congress party has split into rebel and loyal groups.
Both groups say they should be allowed to use the party’s Joraphool symbol.
The Election Commission will listen to both sides on September 12.
The rebels will speak first at 11 am.
The loyal group, led by Mamata Banerjee, will speak at noon.
The disagreement matters because by-elections will be held in Nandigram and Rejinagar on October 6.
Both groups are choosing candidates for those elections.
Central security forces will also be deployed in both constituencies.
The Election Commission will hear rival Trinamool Congress factions over the Joraphool symbol on September 12.
The rebel faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, will appear at 11 am, followed by Mamata Banerjee’s loyalists at noon.
The dispute concerns candidates for the October 6 Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
Both factions plan to field candidates using the Joraphool symbol and must bring five-member delegations.
Nandigram and Rejinagar will receive 35 and 36 companies of central forces, respectively.
- Who
- Rival rebel and loyal factions of the Trinamool Congress, led respectively by Ritabrata Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee.
- What
- The Election Commission will hear competing claims over the Trinamool Congress’s Joraphool party symbol before two Assembly bypolls.
- When
- The hearing is scheduled for September 12; the bypolls are scheduled for October 6.
- Where
- The hearing will take place at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management in New Delhi, while the bypolls are in Nandigram and Rejinagar, West Bengal.
- Why
- Both factions want to contest the bypolls using the Joraphool symbol.
Rebel Trinamool Congress Faction
Loyal Trinamool Congress Faction
Claim to party symbol
Rebel Trinamool Congress Faction
The rebel faction says it has a stake in the Trinamool Congress and intends to contest using the Joraphool symbol.
Loyal Trinamool Congress Faction
The loyal faction led by Mamata Banerjee is also screening candidates and intends to contest using the Joraphool symbol.
Bypoll candidates
Rebel Trinamool Congress Faction
The rebels planned a national executive committee meeting to finalize candidates, with names expected on September 11.
Loyal Trinamool Congress Faction
The loyal group has begun screening potential candidates for the two bypolls.
Leadership representation
Rebel Trinamool Congress Faction
The faction is led by opposition leader Ritabrata Banerjee, while Arup Roy was made its national executive committee chief.
Loyal Trinamool Congress Faction
The opposing faction is led by Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee.
- Hearing date
- September 12
- Bypoll date
- October 6
- Constituencies
- Nandigram in East Midnapore and Rejinagar in Murshidabad
- Election Commission schedule
- Rebels at 11 am; loyalists at 12 pm
- Delegation requirement
- Each faction must bring a delegation of five members
- Party symbol
- Joraphool, or twin flowers
- Central forces
- 35 companies for Nandigram and 36 companies for Rejinagar