‘Party driven by individual cult’: Ritabrata Banerjee on Mamata-led faction’s name | India News
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India on Friday allotted new names and symbols to the rival Trinamool Congress factions led by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy, a day after directing both groups to stop using the party name “All India Trinamool Congress” and its “Flowers and Grass” symbol ahead of the October 6 bypolls.The faction led by Mamata Banerjee has been allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the “Football Player” symbol. It will be recognised as a political party in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura.The faction led by Arup Roy has been allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol. It will also be recognised as a political party in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura.West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee said the Arup Roy-led group collectively decided on its preferences for a new party name and submitted three options to the Election Commission after the poll panel barred both factions from using the name “All India Trinamool Congress” and the “Flowers and Grass” symbol.“We make decisions collectively… We started reaching out to people just last night, and a virtual meeting took place this morning. We had submitted three preferences: first, ‘Nationalist Trinamool Congress’; second, ‘West Bengal Trinamool Congress’; and third, ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’. The Election Commission explained why the first two names couldn’t be granted and assigned the third name instead; however, regarding the election symbol, we received our top priority. It is not for me to comment on the wisdom of the Election Commission.”Reacting to the name allotted to the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, Ritabrata said, “This highlights the nature of a party driven by an individual cult. In politics, concepts like ‘private limited companies’ or ‘dynastic heirs’ hold no meaning; there is no such thing as ownership in the political system.”
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The development came a day after the ECI, in an interim order on Thursday, barred both rival factions from using the name “All India Trinamool Congress” and the party’s “Flowers and Grass” symbol until the leadership dispute is finally resolved.“Neither of the two groups led by Shri Arup Roy (Petitioner) and the other led by Ms Mamata Banerjee (Respondent) shall be permitted to use the name of the party ‘All India Trinamool Congress ‘,” the ECI said in its order.The Commission also barred both factions from using the “Flowers and Grass” symbol reserved for the party and directed them to submit three preferred names and three free symbols for the upcoming bypolls.The dispute comes ahead of the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, where both factions have fielded candidates while laying claim to the TMC’s traditional name and symbol.
