The Election Commission on Friday allotted separate names and election symbols to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress ahead of the October 6 Assembly bypolls in West Bengal, temporarily freezing the party’s 28-year-old identity.
The faction led by Mamata Banerjee has been allotted the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Football Player’ symbol, while the group led by Arup Roy (Ritabrata Banerjee camp) has been given the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Envelope’ symbol, according to an EC order.
The decision follows the poll panel’s interim order on Thursday night barring both factions from using the name ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ and its reserved ‘Jora Ghash Phul’ (two flowers and grass) symbol in the upcoming bypolls.
The Commission had directed the rival groups to submit three choices each for alternative names and symbols, with the names permitted to retain a linkage to the parent party. The symbols were required to be chosen from the list of free symbols notified for Independents and registered unrecognised political parties.
The EC said the time available before the bypolls was insufficient to complete the proceedings under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, but stressed the need to provide the rival groups with names and symbols for the elections.
The interim arrangement will remain in force until the Commission takes a final decision on the dispute under Paragraph 15, it said.
The bypolls to Nandigram in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district are scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9.