Bengal Congress questions timing of EC decision to freeze TMC symbol

• West Bengal Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar questioned the timing of the Election Commission’s decision to freeze the TMC name and election symbol

• He alleged that the poll panel waited until the scrutiny of nominations for the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls had concluded

• Sarkar said the Congress would continue opposing the TMC politically but condemned any attempt to weaken a party through institutional action

West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar on Friday criticised the Election Commission’s interim decision preventing rival Trinamool Congress factions from using the party’s name and “flowers and grass” symbol in the upcoming Assembly bypolls.

Sarkar alleged that the poll panel had deliberately delayed its intervention until the scrutiny of nominations for the Nandigram and Rejinagar by-elections was completed.

He said the dispute over the Trinamool Congress symbol was not new and should have been resolved urgently by the commission.

“But we were surprised to see that the EC deliberately delayed the matter and announced its decision and froze the symbol on the day the nomination scrutiny process for the Rejinagar and Nandigram bypolls ended. This raises serious doubts about the purpose behind the decision,” Sarkar said in a statement.

He maintained that India’s Constitution envisaged a multi-party parliamentary democracy reflecting the country’s plural character.

“The Indian National Congress has always believed in this pluralism,” he said.

Drawing a comparison with the earlier dispute over the Shiv Sena’s election symbol in Maharashtra, Sarkar alleged that the EC had adopted a similar approach in the TMC case in West Bengal.

“There will be political competition and ideological battles -- that is what is desirable in a parliamentary democracy. If someone has to be defeated, we will do so through parliamentary democracy. If someone has to be politically wiped out, it is the people of West Bengal who would do it, through their mandate,” he said.

The Congress leader alleged that the Election Commission was “working like a frontal organisation of the BJP” and attempting to “wipe out a political party”.

“This is an extremely dangerous indication for parliamentary democracy. We strongly condemn it,” he said.

Sarkar clarified that the Congress would continue its political opposition to the TMC. He alleged that the ruling party had been responsible for attacks that killed Congress workers, the occupation of its offices and “gross misgovernance” in West Bengal.

“But that does not mean the Election Commission, at the behest of the BJP, will embark on such an exercise to wipe out a political party. Such partisan behaviour by the EC is weakening the foundations of democracy,” he said.

“The Indian National Congress strongly protests this decision,” Sarkar added.

In its interim order issued on Thursday night, the Election Commission said it had identified two competing groups within the All India Trinamool Congress. One is led by Mamata Banerjee, while the other is headed by Arup Roy and belongs to the rebel camp associated with Ritabrata Banerjee.

Both groups claim to represent the recognised party. The commission said their competing claims would require detailed consideration under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

Until a final determination is made, neither faction can use the All India Trinamool Congress name or its reserved “flowers and grass” symbol in the October 6 bypolls.

The two camps were directed to submit three proposed names and three choices from the EC’s list of free symbols by 11 am on Friday.

With PTI inputs