EC to meet Ritabrata Banerjee faction on September 12 amid battle for TMC name, symbol

The Election Commission will meet a five-member delegation of the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress on September 12 as the battle over the party’s leadership, name and election symbol intensifies. According to an official communication issued on Wednesday, the meeting has been scheduled for 11 am at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in Dwarka, Delhi. The appointment follows a representation submitted by Banerjee’s group on June 22, in which the faction claimed to represent the “real” TMC and staked its claim to the party’s name and symbol.

The communication, addressed to Banerjee, refers to the dispute concerning the All India Trinamool Congress, which is a recognised political party in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura. EC Secretary Ashwani Kumar Mohal said the Commission had decided to grant an appointment to a delegation comprising five members. The latest meeting is expected to form part of the poll panel’s examination of competing claims over the party organisation.

Rebels claim majority support

The dispute emerged after the Banerjee-led rebel faction challenged the authority of the existing TMC leadership and approached the Election Commission claiming the backing of a majority of the party’s elected representatives. The faction also submitted documents relating to an organisational exercise it had conducted to support its claim. A 10-member delegation headed by Banerjee subsequently met the full Commission in July and raised issues concerning the TMC’s organisational structure, party funds and election symbol.

The rebel camp has sought to demonstrate its strength within the legislature as part of its case before the Commission. Of the TMC’s 80 MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly, 65 backed Banerjee’s claim to the post of Leader of the Opposition, rejecting the candidate supported by the Mamata Banerjee camp. The dissidents later convened a special session, elected senior MLA Arup Roy as chairperson and announced a parallel national leadership structure, arguing that the existing leadership no longer enjoyed the confidence of a majority of elected representatives.

Dispute reaches Parliament

The organisational confrontation subsequently extended to Parliament, where 20 Lok Sabha MPs aligned themselves with the newly floated NCPI, further sharpening the political battle between the rival camps. The developments have placed the Election Commission at the centre of the dispute, with its eventual decision likely to determine which faction can legitimately claim the TMC identity and its reserved election symbol.

Former West Bengal chief minister and TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee has also approached the poll panel. In a letter dated August 31, she sought an early decision on the status of the party and the faction headed by Ritabrata Banerjee. The September 12 meeting is therefore expected to be another significant step in the Commission’s consideration of the rival claims as both camps seek clarity over the party’s organisational and electoral identity.