Mamata Banerjee Moves SC Against EC Freeze On TMC Name, Jora Ghash Phul Symbol

Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has moved the Supreme Court against the Election Commission's interim decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress' name and reserved 'Jora Ghash Phul' symbol amid a dispute between two rival factions of the party.

The challenge comes a day after the poll panel barred both groups from using the 'All India Trinamool Congress' name and its reserved symbol pending a substantive determination of the dispute. On Friday, the EC allotted separate names and symbols to the factions led by Banerjee and Arup Roy for the October 6 Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.

In her plea before the apex court, Banerjee has named the Election Commission and Ritabrata Banerjee, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, as respondents, PTI reported.

EC Freezes TMC Name And Symbol

In its interim order issued on Thursday night, the Election Commission said the dispute required substantive determination by the poll body under the provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, after hearing leaders of the two factions led by Banerjee and Arup Roy.

The commission subsequently allotted Banerjee's faction the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' and the 'Football Player' symbol. The rival faction led by Arup Roy was given the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' and the 'Envelope' symbol.

The new names and symbols will be used for the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram in East Medinipur district and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district. Vote counting is scheduled for October 9.

Mamata Calls Decision A 'Black Day'

On September 18, Banerjee attacked the EC over its decision to freeze the TMC's name and 'Jora Ghash Phul' symbol, likening the loss of the party's identity to the pain of a mother losing her child and calling it a "black day" in the country's democratic history.

Banerjee said she would not accept the interim arrangement as a settlement and vowed to fight till the end to reclaim the party's original identity and its 'flowers-and-grass' symbol politically, democratically and legally.

Her remarks came hours after the poll panel allotted her faction its new name and symbol for the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls, PTI reported.

Bypolls Follow Vacancies

The two bypolls were necessitated after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari won from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur and chose to vacate Nandigram. AJUP leader Humayun Kabir, who won from both Naoda and Rejinagar, similarly decided to give up the Rejinagar seat.

The EC's interim order follows a rebellion in the TMC legislature party after the Assembly poll defeat in May. The dispute later spread to Parliament.

In June, 58 rebel MLAs elected expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly instead of the Mamata camp nominee, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay. They also secured recognition from the Speaker, marking the first split in the party's 28-year history.

Five days later, the revolt reached Parliament, with 20 Lok Sabha MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar joining the little-known NCPI and writing to Speaker Om Birla, backing the BJP-led NDA as a "separate bloc", PTI reported. The move further deepened the rupture within the TMC's parliamentary ranks.