KOLKATA: The battle for control of the TMC intensified on Thursday after the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction met the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The faction staked its claim to the party’s official name and twin-flower election symbol, asserting that it represents the “real” party with the backing of a majority of the elected representatives.
Following the meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the two Election Commissioners, the rebel camp said the poll panel had given them a “patient hearing” and expressed confidence that the Commission would respond to its submissions soon.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee said the delegation had formally presented its case before the Commission, citing the faction's special organisational session held in Kolkata on June 22 as the basis of its claim.
“The All India Trinamool Congress held a special session in Kolkata on June 22. Immediately after that session, we informed the Election Commission in writing. We also met officials of the Election Commission in Kolkata and sought an appointment with the Election Commission of India,” Ritabrata told reporters.
"We have placed our case before them and are hopeful that the Election Commission will get back to us very shortly,” he added.
Ritabrata, however, declined to reveal the documents submitted to the Commission but maintained that the June 22 organisational session had been conducted in accordance with all prescribed rules.
“I will not disclose the documents we have submitted, but our session took place abiding by all rules. We are very hopeful that the Election Commission will contact us shortly,” he said.
Reiterating the faction’s claim to legitimacy, Ritabrata asserted that his group enjoyed the support of more than two-thirds of the party’s MLAs, besides a majority of corporators and municipal councillors, making it the rightful claimant to the party organisation and election symbol.
The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly also argued that informing the ECI after conducting an organisational session was part of the prescribed procedure and said the faction had complied with all necessary formalities.
The rebel faction had last week submitted documents to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata and separately communicated with the Election Commission, claiming to represent the original TMC.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction, however, strongly objected to the ECI granting an audience to the dissidents, arguing that they were neither authorised representatives nor signatories of the recognised political party.
Senior TMC leaders Saugata Roy and Sagarika Ghose questioned the ECI’s decision, contending that its own procedures permit only authorised signatories of recognised political parties to seek meetings with the full bench.
“The ECI had informed all political parties that only authorised signatories can seek a meeting. The AITC did not ask for a meeting. On what basis did the Election Commission grant an appointment to a person expelled by the TMC?” Roy asked.
Ghose, on her part, also questioned the poll panel's decision and alleged that it had deviated from its established procedures.
“Only authorised signatories can request a meeting with the Election Commission's full bench. Today, a group led by a person expelled from the party has met the full bench. As per the Commission's own rules, how did this group get the meeting?” she asked.
She also alleged that the Commission was acting at the behest of the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a charge that has not been responded to by the ECI.
