KOLKATA: The Election Commission on Wednesday called rival factions of the Trinamool Congress for separate meetings on September 12 amid their ongoing tussle over control of the party, its name, assets and election symbol, days after the poll panel announced bypolls in two high-voltage Assembly constituencies in West Bengal.
The bypolls in Nandigram in East Midnapore and Rejinagar in Murshidabad will be held on October 6, with counting scheduled for October 9. The elections will be held just days before Durga Puja and are expected to be the first electoral contest between the two rival TMC factions since the party's defeat to the BJP in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The EC has granted an appointment to a five-member delegation of the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction at 11 am on September 12 at the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM) in Dwarka. The poll panel has also called the Mamata Banerjee-led faction for a meeting an hour later.
Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, leads a group of around 60 of the 80 newly elected TMC MLAs who broke ranks with former chief minister Mamata Banerjee following the party's defeat to the BJP in the Assembly polls held in April.
Both factions have claimed to represent the "real" Trinamool Congress and have approached the EC seeking recognition as the legitimate leadership of the party.
The dissident faction has also staked claim to the party's name, financial assets and its original election symbol, the 'Jora Ghash Phool' (twin flowers on grass), which the party has used since its formation in 1998. It has said it would contest the upcoming bypolls using the TMC's name and symbol, while remaining prepared to fight as independents if the EC does not recognise its claim before the nomination process ends on September 16.
Akhrujjaman, the Assembly's chief whip and a member of the Ritabrata-led faction, said on Wednesday that the group would field candidates in both Nandigram and Rejinagar using the TMC's "flower and grass" symbol. The candidates' names will be announced on September 15, he said.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction, meanwhile, has submitted details of its National Working Committee to the Commission and maintained that it remains the legitimate leadership of the All India Trinamool Congress. It has rejected the dissidents' claim, arguing that the party's organisational committees remain valid until 2027 in accordance with the party constitution.
The two factions had earlier appeared before the poll panel in connection with the organisational dispute. A 10-member delegation of the Ritabrata-led group met the full bench of the EC in Delhi on July 2 after staking claim to the party's organisational control and assets, citing majority support.
The EC subsequently sought responses from both factions by July 6. While the Mamata Banerjee-led bloc submitted its response within the deadline, the poll panel granted the rebel group an extension till July 10 and subsequently extended the final deadline to July 25 following another request for more time.
The Nandigram seat fell vacant after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the 2026 Assembly elections, retained Bhabanipur and resigned from Nandigram.
In Murshidabad, Aam Janata Unnayan Party leader Humayun Kabir won both Rejinagar and Nawda. He retained Nawda and resigned from Rejinagar, necessitating the bypoll.
The nomination process for the two seats began on Wednesday. The last date for filing nominations is September 16, while scrutiny will be held on September 17 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is September 19.
The bypolls are being closely watched as a test of the rival factions' organisational strength following the TMC's defeat in the Assembly elections. The outcome could also set the tone for the high-stakes elections to eight municipal bodies, including Kolkata and Howrah, scheduled later this year.
(With inputs from PTI)
