Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has publicly backed Mamata Banerjee after the Election Commission of India (ECI) temporarily froze the All India Trinamool Congress name and its “Flowers and Grass” election symbol amid an internal dispute over the party’s organisational control. Gandhi criticised the Election Commission and alleged that the BJP and the poll panel had followed a similar pattern in disputes involving Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and now the Trinamool Congress. These are allegations made by Gandhi, not findings established by the Election Commission.
In a social media post, Gandhi said the issue concerned not only Mamata Banerjee but also political parties and voters seeking free and fair elections. He also accused the Commission of failing to protect the electoral mandate.
The ECI’s interim order followed competing claims from two TMC factions, one led by Mamata Banerjee and the other associated with Ritabrata Banerjee and Arup Roy. The Commission said the dispute requires a substantive determination under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. Until that process is completed, neither faction can use the party’s existing name or symbol.
Both groups have been directed to submit preferred alternative names and symbols for the upcoming West Bengal bypolls. The order applies to the October 6 contests in Nandigram and Rejinagar, according to the supplied report and current reports.
The Commission has clarified that its interim action is not a final determination over ownership of the party name or symbol. The continuing dispute has drawn reactions from several opposition leaders, including Congress leaders and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
