Mamata urges EC to swiftly decide TMC dispute, opposes further time for rival camp

Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has urged the Election Commission (EC) to conclude its proceedings on the dispute over the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s name, election symbol and organisational control without granting any further extension to the rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee.

In a letter to Election Commission Secretary Ashwani Kumar Mohal on Wednesday, the TMC founder-chairperson said the rival camp had failed to submit its response despite being granted multiple extensions and urged the poll panel to conclude the proceedings "as early as possible".

The dispute will determine which faction is recognised as the "real" All India Trinamool Congress and retains the party's name, election symbol, organisational structure and financial assets.

Banerjee said her faction had complied with the EC's July 2 direction by submitting its detailed response on July 6 within the stipulated deadline and had also served a copy on Ritabrata Banerjee through email and speed post.

According to the letter, the EC had initially directed the rival faction to file its response by July 6, later extending the deadline to July 10 and subsequently to July 25 following a request for additional time.

"Even after 25th July 2026, we have not been informed whether Shri Ritabrata Banerjee has submitted his reply or not... Therefore, it can be inferred that no reply has been submitted," Banerjee wrote.

She argued that the rival faction's failure to respond despite repeated opportunities amounted to an acceptance of the submissions made by her camp.

"It can be inferred that all our submissions and statements... have been admitted and they do not have any answer to that," she said.

Questioning the repeated extensions granted by the EC, Banerjee alleged that the additional time could be used to create "false evidence" to strengthen the rival camp's case.

"We firmly believe that because of the extension of time granted by you, Shri Ritabrata Banerjee and others are trying to create false evidence to develop their case since they do not have any merit in respect of their allegations," the letter stated.

Banerjee also urged the commission to ensure procedural fairness and not grant any further opportunity to the rival faction after July 25.

"Since the matter has serious political ramifications in West Bengal, I would request you to conclude the investigation as early as possible without providing them with any further date to submit their comments," she wrote.

The dispute follows an unprecedented split within the Trinamool Congress after the party's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year.

For the first time since the party's formation in 1998, a rebel faction removed Mamata Banerjee as chairperson, elected senior MLA Arup Roy to head the organisation and installed a parallel leadership structure.

The political crisis deepened after a majority of TMC MLAs backed Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition, replacing the Mamata Banerjee camp's nominee, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay. That dispute is currently before the courts.

Separately, both factions have approached the Election Commission, which is examining rival claims to the recognised political party under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order.