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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to meet a five-member delegation led by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee on Thursday again amid a dispute over the party's name, election symbol and funds between the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and the faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
In a letter to Banerjee, the Commission informed that the meeting will take place at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, at 3 PM on Thursday. The ECI said, "The Commission has decided to hold a hearing with your delegation comprising of five members on 17.09.2026 (Thursday) at 3:00 PM at the Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi-110001." Earlier on Saturday, a five-member delegation representing the rebel faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, arrived at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in Delhi on Saturday for a meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI). The delegation includes Ritabrata Banerjee, Akhruzzaman, Arup Roy, Chandrima Bhattacharya and Riju Datta. Banerjee heads a group of around 60 of the 80 newly elected TMC MLAs who distanced themselves from former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the party's defeat to the BJP in the Assembly polls held in April. Both factions have staked claim to being the real Trinamool Congress and approached the Election Commission seeking recognition as the party's legitimate leadership. Earlier, Rebel Trinamool Congress spokesperson Riju Dutta, on the party's claim over the Trinamool Congress name and election symbol, said the party was confident of receiving the symbol from the Election Commission of India, claiming that it had followed all the required legal procedures. "As the Trinamool Congress, we are very optimistic because we have followed all the legal rules and procedures laid down by the Election Commission. We are hopeful that we will receive the symbol in the next few days," he said. He also said that a five-member delegation of the party had met Election Commission officials, alleging that their candidates and workers had faced attacks and that false police cases were being filed against them since the announcement of the by-election. "We want a level playing field and a fair, impartial election. Whoever the public chooses and votes for will win," Dutta said.(ANI)
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