Kolkata: The Election Commission of India has allotted separate names and symbols to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress ahead of the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction will contest as “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” with the “Football Player” symbol, while the group led by Arup Roy has been given the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol.
The decision follows the Commission’s interim order on September 17, which froze the original “All India Trinamool Congress” name and its “Flowers & Grass” symbol amid the dispute over control of the party.
Both factions had submitted their preferred names and symbols to the poll panel by Friday morning. The new identities are intended as an interim arrangement until the underlying dispute is resolved.
The Commission has also said both groups will be treated as recognised political parties in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura. Neither faction will be allowed to use the original TMC identity in the upcoming bypolls.
The Nandigram bypoll was necessitated after Suvendu Adhikari vacated the seat and retained Bhabanipur.
