Hooghly (West Bengal) [India], September 20 (ANI): Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to freeze the party’s name and symbol was taken “at the dictate of the BJP”, claiming that the poll body was not functioning independently.
Speaking on the Election Commission order that barred rival factions from using the party name “All India Trinamool Congress” and the “Flowers and Grass” symbol ahead of the October 6 bypolls, Banerjee criticised the order and alleged that it was arbitrary.
“The order itself is religious, arbitrary. And it is itself is a non-speaking order. And also perverse. What is the order has been passed, thereby taking away our symbol. They sought for our symbol. That was also not given to them,” the TMC leader said.
The TMC leader alleged that the entire process was influenced by the BJP, saying, “Now, I see to that, that this is the whole thing has been done at the dictate of the BJP. By the Election Commission. Nobody has faith on the Election Commission now.”
“When Election Commission office has, although it is a constitutional body, but it is not performing or discharging its duties independently, they are swayed with the BJP’s direction,” Banerjee added.
The development comes ahead of the bypolls to the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly seats, which are scheduled to be held on October 6, with counting of votes set for October 9.
The Nandigram seat fell vacant after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari retained Bhabanipur in the 2026 Assembly elections. He had defeated TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on the Bhabanipur seat and vacated Nandigram. The Rejinagar seat fell vacant following the resignation of Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir, who also won from Nowda.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s interim order restraining her faction from using the original All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) name and its traditional ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol amid the leadership dispute.
In her plea before the apex court, Banerjee termed the poll panel’s order arbitrary and sought an urgent stay, arguing that the decision affected her faction’s preparations ahead of the by-elections.
The Election Commission had earlier barred both rival TMC factions from using the party’s original name, “All India Trinamool Congress”, and its traditional “Flowers and Grass” or “Jora Phool” symbol until a final decision is taken on the organisational dispute.
The poll panel subsequently allotted the Mamata Banerjee-led faction the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” along with the “Football Player” symbol, while the rival faction led by Arup Roy was allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol. The interim arrangement will remain applicable for the upcoming bypolls.
On the Indi bloc and Congress, Banerjee said the alliance was functioning and that all constituent parties were working together. “India Alliance is working. They are all the political parties who are the members of the Indian Alliance. They are working together,” he said.
He added that the alliance had earlier told Congress to take the lead. “It was said to the Congress that you lead the India Alliance. But they have not given any positive response to that,” Banerjee said.
Praising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said, “Rahul Gandhi is working well. Rahul Gandhi is keeping in touch with Modi also.”
Banerjee also mentioned the Nandigram bypoll, saying, “We have seen that Nandigram seat, we have given it to the Congress. We are saying that our, since our MLA has been withdrawn, candidate, because of the conspiracy made by Shobhindra Bihari. We are supporting the Congress at Nandigram.”
On BJP leaders’ remarks against TMC, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s comment that the party’s “football will be deflated” in the upcoming election, Banerjee said, “Let him remain in Assam. He should not talk much. Let him remain in Assam.”
“People of West Bengal are giving the appropriate reply to Shubhendu Adhikari during 4 months. He should remember it,” he added. (ANI)