"Game to harass Mamata's TMC, confuse voters": Kunal Ghosh on EC decision over party name, symbol

Speaking to the media, Ghosh said, The Election Commission has been at it since the assembly elections. It keeps trying to run things its own way regarding election symbols... This game is being played to harass Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool and confuse the voters..."

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.(ANI)