Uncertainty over TMC name, symbol ahead of Bengal bypoll nominations

Uncertainty continues over the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) party name and election symbol, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) yet to indicate when it will decide the rival claims of the two factions ahead of the 16 September deadline for filing nominations for the Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly bypolls.

The commission has held separate meetings with both factions to hear their claims over the party's name and symbol. However, fresh exchanges between the two sides and the ECI over additional documents have made it increasingly unclear whether a decision will be taken before the nomination deadline.

After hearing the Ritabrata Banerjee-led “rebel-majority” faction on Friday, the ECI sought further clarification and supporting documents from the group on Saturday. Sources said the faction submitted the requested documents and clarifications by Saturday evening.

Later on Saturday night, the commission forwarded a communication to the faction led by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking its views on the documents submitted by the rival group, according to sources.

The Mamata Banerjee-led faction has, in turn, approached the ECI seeking details of the documents submitted by the Ritabrata-led faction, sources said.

The latest developments have raised questions over whether the commission will be able to settle the dispute over the Trinamool Congress' name and symbol before the last date for filing nominations.

“The last date for submission of nominations for the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls is 16 September. So, with just three days left for that, a decision of the Commission on the fate of name and symbol before that appears highly inconceivable,” a city-based political observer said.

The observer added that if the dispute remains unresolved by the nomination deadline, both factions could be required to contest the bypolls using free symbols or symbols separately allotted by the ECI.

The bypolls to Nandigram and Rejinagar are scheduled to be held on 6 October, with counting and results due on 9 October.

Political activity around the two constituencies has already intensified. The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress have announced their candidates for both seats, while the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), floated by former Trinamool Congress leader Humayun Kabir, has also announced its candidate for Rejinagar.

The BJP is expected to announce its candidates within the next one or two days. However, uncertainty persists over when the two Trinamool factions will finalise and announce their candidates, particularly amid the ongoing dispute before the ECI.

With only days remaining before nominations close, the Commission's next communication to the two factions is expected to be crucial in determining how the rival groups will contest the upcoming bypolls and under which name and symbol.

With IANS inputs