ECI to hear Trinamool Congress rival factions on Thursday over party name and symbol
Synopsis
The Election Commission is set to hear rival Trinamool Congress factions on Thursday in a dispute that could determine which side gets to use the party's name and election symbol — a call that must come before the 6 October bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, where both camps have already filed candidates.
Key Takeaways
The ECI full bench will hear both TMC factions in New Delhi on Thursday, 18 September 2026 .
The Ritabrata Banerjee -led rebel faction meets at 3 pm ; the Mamata Banerjee -led original faction meets at 4 pm .
Each delegation will have five members ; the Commission will rule only after hearing both sides.
Bypolls for Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies are scheduled for 6 October 2026 .
Both factions have already fielded candidates: Sanchita Pradhan Dey and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury for the Mamata side; Mohammad Etesamul Haque and Sheikh Saifuddin for the Ritabrata side.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will on Thursday, 18 September 2026, hold back-to-back meetings in New Delhi with delegations from both factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) to hear rival claims over the party's name and election symbol — a decision that could reshape the political landscape ahead of two imminent bypolls in West Bengal.
The Meetings and Who Will Attend
The full bench of the ECI will first meet the delegation of the rebel faction, led by expelled TMC legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, at 3 pm at the Commission's headquarters on Ashoka Road, New Delhi. Exactly one hour later, at 4 pm, the same full bench will meet the delegation representing the original faction — led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. Each delegation will comprise five members.
According to reports, ECI Secretary Ashwani Kumar Mohal did not specify the formal agenda in communications sent to both factions on Wednesday. However, insiders told reporters that both sittings will centre on arguments each side intends to present in support of its claim to the party name and symbol.
Why the Decision Is Urgent
The hearings carry unusual urgency because bypolls for two West Bengal Assembly constituencies — Nandigram in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar — are scheduled for 6 October 2026. Both factions had already fielded candidates before the nomination deadline closed on Wednesday, making the question of which group is entitled to the recognised TMC name and its election symbol operationally critical for the poll process.
Candidates Already in the Field
In the Rejinagar constituency, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has fielded Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, while the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction's candidate is Sheikh Saifuddin. In Nandigram, Sanchita Pradhan Dey represents the Mamata faction, with Mohammad Etesamul Haque contesting on behalf of the rival group. Whichever faction the ECI recognises will have the right to use the Trinamool Congress name and its grassroots-familiar symbol — a critical advantage in constituency-level contests.
What Comes Next
The Commission has indicated it will rule on the matter only after hearing both sides in full. Given the 6 October bypoll date, any ruling will need to come within days of Thursday's meetings to give election machinery adequate time to update ballot materials. This is not the first time the ECI has been drawn into an intra-party split adjudication: similar hearings have preceded rulings in disputes involving other regional parties, where the Commission's recognition can determine electoral outcomes almost entirely on its own.
Point of View
Not the party constitution. With nominations already filed and ballots needing to be printed before 6 October, the Commission is under pressure to adjudicate a politically charged dispute on an administrative deadline. What gets less attention is the asymmetry at stake: the faction that wins recognition inherits not just a name and symbol but decades of voter familiarity in districts like East Midnapore, where Nandigram has always carried outsized political symbolism for Mamata Banerjee personally. A ruling against her faction there would be more than procedural — it would be a reputational rupture at a constituency she has made central to her political identity.
NationPress
16 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the ECI meeting both Trinamool Congress factions?
The ECI is hearing both factions to decide which group has the legitimate claim to the All India Trinamool Congress party name and its election symbol. The dispute arose from a split within the party, and the Commission must rule before the 6 October 2026 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies.
When and where will the ECI meetings take place?
The meetings are scheduled for Thursday, 18 September 2026, at the ECI headquarters on Ashoka Road in New Delhi. The Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction meets the full bench at 3 pm, followed by the Mamata Banerjee-led faction at 4 pm.
Who are the candidates fielded by each faction in the upcoming bypolls?
In Rejinagar, the Mamata Banerjee faction has fielded Rabiul Alam Chowdhury and the Ritabrata Banerjee faction has fielded Sheikh Saifuddin. In Nandigram, Sanchita Pradhan Dey represents the Mamata faction and Mohammad Etesamul Haque represents the rival group.
When are the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls scheduled?
Both the Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district and the Rejinagar Assembly constituency are scheduled to go to polls on 6 October 2026. The last date for filing nominations was Wednesday, 17 September 2026.
What happens after the ECI hearings?
The Election Commission will assess arguments from both five-member delegations and then issue a ruling on which faction is entitled to the Trinamool Congress name and symbol. Given the 6 October bypoll date, a decision is expected within days of the Thursday hearings.
