Trinamool split: Both factions submit new name, symbol choices to ECI
Synopsis
For the first time in 28 years, neither faction of the Trinamool Congress will contest an election under that name. With the ECI freezing the 'All India Trinamool Congress' identity overnight, both the Mamata Banerjee-led original and the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel majority have submitted rival name-and-symbol choices — setting up an October by-election that doubles as a proxy war over which group inherits a party built from scratch in 1998.
Key Takeaways
The Election Commission of India froze the name All India Trinamool Congress and the grass-flowers symbol on an interim basis on Thursday night, 18 September 2026 .
Both factions submitted their new name and symbol choices before the 11 am Friday deadline — the Mamata Banerjee -led group filed three choices each after midnight; the Ritabrata Banerjee -led faction filed on Friday morning.
New names and symbols will be used in Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly by-elections, scheduled on 6 October 2026 , with results on 9 October 2026 .
Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee called the ECI order 'unconstitutional' but said the faction would comply; Ritabrata Banerjee welcomed it as proof that 'dynastic politics has no room.' The All India Trinamool Congress was founded in 1998 by Mamata Banerjee; this is the first election cycle in which neither faction will contest under that identity.
Both factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) have submitted their respective choices of new party names and symbols to the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the 11 am Friday deadline, as the historic split in one of West Bengal's most dominant political forces enters a decisive institutional phase.
What Each Faction Filed
The faction led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee — described by the ECI as the 'original but minority' group — submitted three choices each for both a new name and a new symbol after Thursday midnight. The rival faction, led by expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee — characterised as the 'rebel but majority' group — reportedly forwarded their choices on Friday morning.
Leaders from both sides confirmed the filings but remained tight-lipped about their specific choices, saying they would wait for the Commission's final announcement before commenting publicly.
Why the ECI Froze the Trinamool Name and Symbol
On Thursday night, the ECI announced the freezing of the name All India Trinamool Congress and the iconic grass-flowers symbol on an interim basis. The order means neither faction can use the original name or symbol in any election until the Commission reaches a final decision. The ECI maintains a list of 184 free symbols — ranging from everyday objects such as a cupboard, apple, bangle, binoculars, and CCTV to items like cake, biscuit, and capsicum — from which two will be allotted, one to each faction.
This is the standard procedure the Commission follows when a recognised party splits and rival claimants contest ownership of its name and electoral identity.
Sharply Divided Reactions
The ECI's freezing order drew contrasting responses from the two camps. Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee, aligned with the Mamata Banerjee faction, called the order unconstitutional and told reporters his group was not accepting it — while acknowledging they would comply for now. 'We are not accepting this order. Just as illegal things have to be accepted temporarily, this too has to be accepted,' he said.
Ritabrata Banerjee, in a social media post, welcomed the decision as a rebuke of dynastic politics. 'A political party is not a private limited company, nor can there be an heir to a political party. This has been proven today,' he wrote.
What Is at Stake: The October By-Elections
The new names and symbols will be used for the first time in two imminent by-elections: the Nandigram assembly constituency in East Midnapore district and the Rejinagar assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, both scheduled on 6 October 2026, with results on 9 October 2026. Nandigram carries particular symbolic weight — it was the seat from which Mamata Banerjee was controversially defeated in the 2021 West Bengal assembly election.
The by-elections will serve as the first electoral test of both factions under their new identities, and the results could significantly shape the balance of power within the fractured party.
A Party Built Over 28 Years, Now Split
The Trinamool Congress was founded in 1998 by Mamata Banerjee after she broke away from the Indian National Congress (INC). Over 28 years, the name and grass-flowers symbol became synonymous with her political brand, propelling the party to power in West Bengal in 2011 after years in opposition. The ongoing split means that, for the first time since its founding, West Bengal will go into an election cycle without either faction bearing that identity.
The ECI's final ruling on which faction — if either — ultimately inherits the original name and symbol will likely set a precedent with implications for party splits across India.
Point of View
Just weeks before two consequential by-elections. Mamata Banerjee's faction losing use of the grass-flowers symbol is symbolically devastating: that identity was her personal creation, not the party's inheritance. The deeper question the Commission's order raises, however, is structural — India lacks a clear statutory framework for handling party splits, leaving the ECI to improvise each time, with outcomes that shape electoral politics for years. Ritabrata Banerjee's 'anti-dynasty' framing is politically astute, but the rebel faction's majority-in-legislature claim will collide with the Mamata faction's organisational depth and Abhishek Banerjee's grassroots machinery. The October by-elections are less about Nandigram and Rejinagar and more about which side can mobilise its vote bank without the crutch of a familiar name.
NationPress
18 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the Election Commission frozen the Trinamool Congress name and symbol?
The ECI froze the 'All India Trinamool Congress' name and grass-flowers symbol on an interim basis because two rival factions are both claiming ownership of the party's identity. The freeze prevents either side from using the original name or symbol in elections until the Commission issues a final ruling on which faction is the legitimate successor.
Who are the two Trinamool Congress factions?
The first is the 'original but minority' faction led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. The second is the 'rebel but majority' faction led by expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, which reportedly holds a majority among the party's elected legislators.
Which elections will the new names and symbols be used in?
The new names and symbols will debut at the Nandigram assembly constituency by-election in East Midnapore district and the Rejinagar assembly constituency by-election in Murshidabad district, both scheduled on 6 October 2026, with results on 9 October 2026.
What choices have the factions submitted to the ECI?
Both factions confirmed they submitted their choices by the 11 am Friday deadline but declined to reveal specifics, saying they would wait for the Commission's announcement. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction submitted three choices each for name and symbol; the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction reportedly filed on Friday morning.
What is the history of the All India Trinamool Congress?
The All India Trinamool Congress was founded in 1998 by Mamata Banerjee after she broke away from the Indian National Congress. The party rose to power in West Bengal in 2011, ending over three decades of Left Front rule, and has governed the state since. The current split means neither faction will contest the upcoming by-elections under the party's original name or symbol for the first time in 28 years.
