West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Friday contesting the Election Commission of India's order that stripped her faction of the party's original name and election symbol. The commission had revoked the use of the name 'All India Trinamool Congress' and the long-standing 'flower with grass' symbol — an icon that has been associated with the party since its early days — just a day earlier.
The controversy erupted as part of an ongoing intra-party power struggle within the Trinamool Congress following a high-profile dissent over leadership decisions. Two competing factions emerged, each claiming to be the legitimate representative of the party. The Election Commission was called upon to resolve the dispute, and it ultimately recognised the splinter group led by senior leaders Suvendu Adhikari and others as the legitimate 'All India Trinamool Congress', while rebranding Mamata Banerjee's faction.
On Friday, the commission officially assigned the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' to Banerjee's group along with a new election symbol depicting a football player in action. The rival faction retained the original party name and symbol.
The timing of the commission's order has drawn sharp criticism, as West Bengal is set to hold by-elections on October 6 in two constituencies — Nandigram and Rajnagar — both of which are significant for the ruling party. These seats became vacant following the death of sitting MLAs, and both factions have insisted they should contest under the original party name and symbol rather than the newly assigned ones.
Banerjee's legal team argued before the Supreme Court that the commission's sudden rebranding amounts to an attempt to delegitimise her leadership and could confuse voters who have identified with the original party branding for decades. The court is expected to hear the matter soon, and its decision could have major implications for how the upcoming by-elections unfold in the state.
