The battle for control of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is set to enter a decisive phase on Monday, with rival factions preparing to submit documents before the Election Commission (EC) to stake competing claims over the party's name, election symbol and organisational structure.
The contest, unprecedented in the TMC's 28-year history, is expected to test rival claims of political legitimacy and organisational control, with both camps seeking recognition as the "real" Trinamool Congress.
The EC has directed both factions to submit organisational records, documentary evidence and proof of support by 5.30 pm on July 6, following preliminary hearings held last week.
At the centre of the dispute are the party's iconic grass-and-flowers symbol, its organisational assets, finances and headquarters, all of which have become subjects of competing claims after an escalating rebellion that has rocked the party since its defeat in the Assembly elections.
While the Kalighat camp led by Mamata Banerjee is expected to rely on the party's organisational continuity and founding legacy, the dissident faction is banking on its numerical strength among legislators and elected representatives.
The confrontation marks one of the most dramatic political ruptures witnessed in West Bengal in recent decades. What began as a legislative revolt has since evolved into a full-fledged organisational challenge.
Last month, the rebel camp convened a special session, elected senior MLA Arup Roy as its chairperson and unveiled a parallel national leadership structure, arguing that the existing leadership had lost the confidence of a majority of the party's elected representatives.
The dissidents first demonstrated their strength when 58 of the TMC's 80 MLAs backed Ritabrata Banerjee's claim to the post of Leader of the Opposition, rejecting the nominee supported by the party leadership. The faction now claims the backing of around 65 legislators.
The political turmoil has also spread beyond the Assembly. Twenty-one Lok Sabha MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar subsequently aligned with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), significantly weakening Mamata Banerjee's parliamentary position and adding another dimension to the battle for political legitimacy.
The organisational contest took another dramatic turn on Friday when the rebel faction assumed control of Trinamool Bhawan, the party headquarters in Kolkata. Members of the dissident camp changed the locks, installed fresh posters and announced that they would henceforth operate from the premises.
The move came a day after the faction met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the two Election Commissioners in New Delhi to press its claim over the party's leadership, symbol, organisational structure and assets.
"We have gathered all documentary evidence and will place it before the commission. We are confident the decision will be based on facts, numbers and organisational legitimacy," a senior leader of the Ritabrata camp said.
The Mamata Banerjee camp has strongly rejected the rebels' claims, maintaining that leaders expelled from the party cannot represent it before the poll panel. Senior leaders from the camp are expected to submit their counter-claims before the commission on Monday.
With the party's future political identity at stake, senior leaders in the Kalighat camp privately acknowledge that the EC's eventual decision could have far-reaching consequences.
Seeking to project confidence, Mamata Banerjee on Saturday dismissed concerns over the party's election symbol, even as the rebel faction pursued its claim before the Election Commission.
"I don't care about the party symbol, although I know they won't be able to snatch it away. They will not succeed since I will dangle the symbol from my neck and reach out to the people. Many have betrayed the party and walked away. They won only because I signed on their nomination papers. At the BJP's behest, they have betrayed the party," she said during a Facebook Live interaction.
In an apparent reference to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, she added, "But even if they use 'Vanish Kumar' to snatch away the party symbol, they will not be able to silence my voice. Individuals may leave, but an institution does not cease to exist."
A senior leader from the Kalighat camp asserted that the party's organisational structure, elected committees and founding leadership remained intact despite the rebellion.
"The TMC was built by Mamata Banerjee and continues to be led by her. A temporary numerical shift among some elected representatives cannot erase the party's organisational continuity or its connection with workers and supporters across Bengal," the leader said.
The dissident camp, however, remained equally confident, arguing that the dispute would ultimately be decided through the "test of majority".
"We have compiled all documentary evidence and are ready to place it before the commission. The facts and numbers speak for themselves. We have nothing to fear from a transparent process," another senior leader of the Ritabrata camp said.
The dispute has also triggered a parallel battle over the party's properties and finances. Following its takeover of Trinamool Bhawan, the rebel faction has begun reviewing tenancy and administrative records linked to the premises, signalling that the contest is likely to extend beyond the question of electoral recognition.
For the Election Commission, the case is expected to hinge on the familiar "test of majority" and scrutiny of organisational records that have determined previous disputes involving rival factions of recognised political parties.
For the Trinamool Congress, however, the implications are far more significant.
With the party's name, symbol, organisational apparatus and assets all under dispute, Monday's submissions are expected to mark the beginning of a crucial adjudication process that could determine who ultimately carries forward the political legacy of a party that has dominated West Bengal politics for the past decade and a half.
(With inputs from PTI)