Battle for the Twin Flower: EC Hears Conflicting Claims from Rival TMC Factions
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) held a crucial hearing on Saturday to address the escalating power struggle within the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The proceedings brought representatives from two warring factions to the negotiating table, both staking a formal claim to the party’s identity and its iconic “twin flower” election symbol.
The political standoff, pitting a group loyal to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee against a breakaway faction led by the state’s Leader of Opposition, Ritabrata Banerjee, has placed the poll body in a difficult position. With critical by-elections for the Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly seats looming on October 6, the ECI is under significant pressure to provide clarity before the September 16 deadline for filing nominations.
Conflicting Legal and Organizational Claims
At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental disagreement over the party’s internal governance and organizational timelines.
The delegation representing Mamata Banerjee, which included senior leaders Derek O’Brien, Kalyan Banerjee, Sagarika Ghose, Saket Gokhale, and advocate Abhinav Singh, maintained that no legitimate internal crisis exists. They characterized the opposing group as a cohort of “traitors,” emphasizing that the incumbent national working committee is operating well within its constitutional five-year mandate.
In a pointed statement following the hearing, the Mamata-led faction argued that the legislators challenging her leadership were elected under her party’s banner only months ago. They alleged that these individuals had received direct financial support from the party—citing a sum of Rs 25 lakh—to facilitate their campaigns, thereby binding them to the party’s current leadership.
Conversely, the faction headed by Ritabrata Banerjee—accompanied by Akhruzzaman, Arup Roy, Chandrima Bhattacharya, and Riju Datt—presented a divergent reading of the TMC constitution. They asserted that the party’s organizational term was strictly capped at three years, a duration they claim expired in February 2025. By their logic, the current leadership is functioning beyond its legitimate term, necessitating a structural overhaul.
The Clock is Ticking for Bypolls
The ECI’s decision is expected to have immediate ramifications for the upcoming by-elections. Should both factions insist on fielding their own candidates for the Nandigram and Rejinagar seats, the commission will be forced to make an interim determination regarding which group possesses the legal authority to utilize the reserved “twin flower” symbol.
Legal experts note that the ECI typically examines organizational records, the majority support among elected representatives, and the party’s constitution to adjudicate such disputes. However, given the compressed timeline, the commission may opt for an interim measure to ensure the electoral process remains uninterrupted.
As the September 16 nomination deadline approaches, the situation remains fluid. The ECI’s verdict will not only decide the fate of the party symbol but will also signal which faction holds the mantle of legitimacy in West Bengal’s high-stakes political arena. Both camps remain defiant, as the state watches to see how the commission navigates these competing claims to the TMC’s historical and political legacy.
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