Rebel Trinamool MLAs claim party name, symbol at ECI: Ritabrata Banerjee
Synopsis
A ten-member delegation of rebel Trinamool Congress MLAs walked into the Election Commission of India on 2 July and argued that their two-thirds majority in the West Bengal Assembly makes a separate demand for the party name and symbol redundant — they believe the numbers speak for themselves. With a rival convention already held on 22 June and a new chairperson installed in place of Mamata Banerjee, the split is now a formal constitutional dispute.
Key Takeaways
A ten-member rebel TMC delegation met the full bench of the ECI on 2 July , claiming entitlement to the party name and election symbol.
Rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee cited support from more than two-thirds of TMC MLAs, most former cabinet ministers, and a majority of municipal and Zilla Parishad members.
A special convention on 22 June installed Arup Roy as the new party chairperson, replacing Mamata Banerjee ; Akhruzzaman was named treasurer.
The Mamata Banerjee – Abhishek Banerjee camp, represented by legislator Kunal Ghosh , rejected the rebel claim, noting that the rebels' own earlier affidavit bore Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee's signatures.
The ECI has noted the arguments and is yet to schedule the next hearing or issue a ruling.
The majority faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) Legislative Party in the West Bengal Assembly, led by expelled member Ritabrata Banerjee, on Thursday, 2 July argued before the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) that their numerical strength alone establishes their rightful claim over the party name and election symbol. A ten-member delegation of rebel legislators met the Commission in the afternoon, presenting their case in what marks a significant escalation of the intra-party battle within Trinamool Congress.
Key Developments at the ECI Hearing
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee argued that a separate demand for the name and symbol was unnecessary given the scale of their support base. 'More than two-thirds of the party MLAs in West Bengal are with us. Most of the former ministers in the previous Trinamool Congress cabinet in West Bengal are on our side. The majority of councillors of different municipal corporations and municipalities are with us. The majority of Zilla Parishad members in different districts are with us. So, what is our need to raise the demand separately for the right over the party name and election symbol?' he said.
Banerjee confirmed that the ECI noted all arguments presented and assured the delegation it would examine the matter.
The Convention That Triggered the Claim
The rebel faction's formal bid for control traces back to 22 June, when they convened a special convention of party delegates. The convention nominated veteran legislator Arup Roy as the new party chairperson, replacing former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Another legislator, Akhruzzaman, was appointed the new party treasurer. According to Ritabrata Banerjee, the ECI was formally informed of the convention the very next day.
The Mamata Camp Hits Back
The faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee — which the rebels describe as the 'minority' — dismissed the meeting as inconsequential. Legislator Kunal Ghosh, a prominent voice from this camp, said the rebel claim was legally untenable. 'Trinamool Congress cannot exist without Mamata Banerjee. All the workers and supporters are with her. Those who are claiming to be the real Trinamool Congress today — the affidavit they gave to the Commission two months back had the signatures of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee on two specific forms. This is like a tenant claiming to be the owner of the house today,' Ghosh said.
What This Means and What Comes Next
The dispute before the ECI mirrors past intra-party splits where rival factions have contested ownership of a recognised party's name and symbol — a process governed by the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. Historically, the Commission has weighed both legislative strength and organisational support when adjudicating such claims. Notably, this is not the first time a ruling state party has faced a formal split challenge at the Commission level; the Shiv Sena dispute of 2022 set a widely watched precedent.
The ECI has not yet issued a ruling or a hearing schedule for the next round of arguments. With the West Bengal political landscape already charged ahead of future electoral cycles, the Commission's eventual decision on who controls the Trinamool Congress name and symbol could reshape the state's opposition arithmetic.
Point of View
This dispute exposes how the Mamata Banerjee model of hyper-personalised party control can become a structural vulnerability: when the personality is contested, the institution has no independent scaffolding to stand on. The Shiv Sena precedent of 2022 showed that ECI adjudications in such cases can drag for months and produce outcomes that satisfy neither side. West Bengal's electoral calendar means neither faction can afford a prolonged limbo.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the rebel Trinamool Congress MLAs argue before the ECI on 2 July?
The rebel faction, led by expelled member Ritabrata Banerjee, argued before the full bench of the Election Commission of India on 2 July that their numerical majority — comprising more than two-thirds of TMC MLAs in West Bengal — automatically establishes their entitlement to the party's name and election symbol, making a separate formal demand unnecessary.
Who did the rebel TMC convention appoint as the new party chairperson?
A special convention of party delegates held on 22 June nominated veteran legislator Arup Roy as the new chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress, replacing former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Legislator Akhruzzaman was appointed the new party treasurer at the same convention.
How has the Mamata Banerjee camp responded to the rebel ECI meeting?
Legislator Kunal Ghosh, speaking for the faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, dismissed the rebel meeting as invalid. He pointed out that the rebels' own affidavit submitted to the Commission two months earlier carried the signatures of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, undermining their claim to independent party ownership.
How does the ECI decide which faction gets a disputed party's name and symbol?
The Election Commission of India adjudicates such disputes under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. It typically weighs both legislative strength and organisational support before making a determination. The process can take several months, as seen in the Shiv Sena dispute of 2022.
What happens next in the Trinamool Congress split case?
The ECI has noted the arguments presented by the rebel delegation and assured them it will examine the matter. No ruling or next hearing date has been announced yet. The Commission is expected to seek responses from the Mamata Banerjee faction before proceeding further.
