The battle for the identity of the Trinamool Congress has reached the Supreme Court. Mamata Banerjee, who founded the party in 1998, has filed a writ petition challenging the Election Commission of India’s order that froze the AITC name and its reserved twin flower symbol amid a bitter split within the party.
How The Dispute Started
The rift within the TMC widened after the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election, when the party lost significant ground. Around 60 of its 80 MLAs shifted to a rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, now the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. Twenty of the party’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs also moved away from Mamata Banerjee, leaving her with just eight loyal MPs.
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Both camps then approached the Election Commission, each claiming to be the legitimate Trinamool Congress and demanding rights over the party’s name, symbol and funds.
What The Election Commission Decided
On September 17, the Election Commission passed an interim order recognising two rival groups within the AITC and barring both from using the original name and symbol for the upcoming bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, scheduled for October 6.
As a temporary arrangement, the Mamata Banerjee faction was given the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ along with a ‘Football Player’ symbol. The Ritabrata Banerjee faction received the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and an ‘Envelope’ symbol. She described the order as a “black day” in the country’s democratic history and said she would not treat the interim arrangement as final.
Why The Case Now Goes To The Top Court
Hours after the EC order, Mamata’s faction filed its Supreme Court petition on September 18, naming the Election Commission and Ritabrata Banerjee as respondents. The plea argues that the freeze on the original name and symbol is premature and unfair to a party she has led for nearly three decades.
