•Two rival TMC factions have approached the ECI, each claiming to be the party’s legitimate leadership.
• The Election Commission is likely to weigh organisational strength and legislative support in deciding the dispute.
• The verdict will determine control of the TMC name and its twin-flower election symbol.
On a tense evening in late June 2026, in a crowded hall in Kolkata, rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders made a dramatic move. Led by Ritabrata Banerjee, the newly recognised Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, the dissidents announced they had removed Mamata Banerjee as party chairperson. They elected senior MLA Arup Roy in her place, formed a parallel 30-member National Working Committee, suspended Abhishek Banerjee, and prominently displayed the party’s iconic Jora Ghas Phul (twin flowers with grass) symbol.
Claiming the support of around 58 out of 80 TMC MLAs, the rebels declared themselves the real All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and swiftly approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) to stake their claim over the party name, assets, and election symbol.
This challenge, coming just weeks after TMC’s defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, has placed the party in one of its most significant crises since its founding in 1998. Both factions have now filed competing claims with the ECI, setting the stage for a legal and political contest that could decide the fate of Mamata Banerjee’s political legacy and the powerful twin-flower symbol.
The situation bears striking similarities to the 2022-2023 Shiv Sena split, where the ECI ultimately awarded the original party name and “bow and arrow” symbol to Eknath Shinde’s faction based largely on legislative majority. That precedent offers a clear lens to understand how the TMC dispute might unfold.
The Shiv Sena Case: A Defining Precedent
The Shiv Sena episode remains the most relevant blueprint for symbol disputes in recent Indian politics. In 2022, Eknath Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, taking with him a significant chunk of the party’s MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly. Shinde’s group demonstrated clear legislative strength and approached the ECI.
After detailed hearings, the Election Commission ruled in February 2023 in favour of Shinde’s faction. They retained the Shiv Sena name and the coveted bow-and-arrow symbol. Uddhav Thackeray’s group was compelled to rebrand as Shiv Sena (UBT) and adopt a new symbol — the flaming torch. The decision was driven primarily by the majority support among elected representatives when organisational claims proved difficult to verify objectively.
A similar outcome occurred in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) split, where Ajit Pawar’s faction secured the original “clock” symbol. These rulings have established a practical framework: in deeply contested splits, legislative numbers often carry decisive weight.
How the Election Commission Decides Party Symbol and Name Disputes
The ECI’s authority stems from the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 — particularly Paragraph 15, which allows it to adjudicate when rival groups claim to be the authentic version of a recognised party.
Once satisfied that a genuine split exists, the Commission conducts hearings and examines multiple factors:
• Organisational Strength: This covers support among office-bearers, party committees, membership records, and adherence to the party constitution. Control over headquarters, bank accounts, and official resolutions can strengthen a faction’s case.
• Legislative Wing Support: Numbers in Parliament and state assemblies are often the most verifiable metric. In personality-centric parties where organisational records can be manipulated or disputed, the ECI frequently relies heavily on the majority among elected MLAs and MPs.
• Other Relevant Circumstances: The Commission also considers the party’s history, the legitimacy of meetings held by each side, suspensions issued, and any actions that demonstrate which group better represents continuity and the broader will of the party.
The guiding principle is to minimise voter confusion and ensure electoral stability. Symbols matter enormously in India, serving as vital identification tools for millions of voters. The ECI’s decision is binding for election purposes, though it can be challenged in the Supreme Court. In practice, one faction usually inherits the original name and reserved symbol, while the other registers as a new party with a fresh symbol. In rare deadlocks, the symbol may be frozen for both.
TMC’s Twin-Flower Symbol and the Current Crisis
The Jora Ghas Phul symbol — two flowers blooming on the same stem amid blades of grass — was conceived by Mamata Banerjee herself. It represents unity, harmony, and the party’s core slogan of “Maa, Maati, Manush” (Mother, Land, People). Since TMC broke away from Congress in 1998, the symbol has become synonymous with Mamata’s grassroots brand of politics that ended decades of Left Front rule in Bengal in 2011.
The rebels, displaying the symbol without Mamata’s photograph during their meeting, have moved significantly. They claim major support not just from MLAs but also from councillors and district-level leaders disillusioned after the electoral rout. Mamata’s camp has hit back by suspending rebel leaders for anti-party activities and asserting that the parallel meeting was unconstitutional.
Both sides have submitted rival lists of office-bearers and leadership structures to the ECI. The Commission will now have to sift through evidence to determine which faction truly represents the “real” TMC.
Assessing Banerjee’s Grip on the Party
Banerjee’s has been the undisputed architect and supremo of TMC for nearly three decades. Her personal, street-fighter image, and direct connect with the masses built the party from scratch. For years, TMC operated as a highly centralised entity where loyalty to “Didi” often trumped formal institutional structures — a model that delivered repeated electoral successes.
Yet the 2026 defeat showed deep fault lines. Anti-incumbency, allegations of nepotism centred around nephew Abhishek Banerjee, cadre fatigue, and governance failures appear to have triggered a broad rebellion. With reports of a substantial legislative majority tilting toward the rebels and the Assembly Speaker recognising the split, Mamata’s once-iron grip looks visibly weakened for the first time.
Likely Scenarios and Broader Implications
If the rebels substantiate their claim of legislative majority — especially among MLAs — the ECI is likely to apply the Shiv Sena precedent and recognise their faction as the official TMC, handing them the twin-flower symbol. Mamata’s group would then need to register afresh, possibly as TMC (Mamata) or a similar variant, and select a new symbol. This would represent a major symbolic defeat.
Alternatively, if Mamata’s loyalists can prove stronger organisational continuity and procedural flaws in the rebels’ actions, she could retain the symbol. Prolonged litigation in the Supreme Court is almost certain, as seen in the Shiv Sena and other cases.
The stakes extend beyond legal technicalities. In Indian elections, the original party symbol carries significant emotional and brand value. Losing it requires rebranding and may create confusion among some voters. For TMC, a split could further fragment opposition politics in Bengal, consolidate the BJP’s recent gains, and reshape national alliance dynamics.
As of late June 2026, the dispute remains unresolved. The ECI hearings will examine legislative support, internal documents, and procedural validity. For Banerjee, the proceedings represent a significant political test. Whether her personal appeal and organisational support can outweigh legislative numbers in the eyes of the Election Commission will help determine not just the fate of the twin-flower symbol, but also the future direction of one of India’s most influential regional parties. The outcome may also offer insights into how Indian democracy addresses splits within personality-driven political parties.
