ECI Allots New Names, Symbols to Rival TMC Factions: Mamata Banerjee Gets Football Player, Arup Roy Envelope

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday allotted separate names and election symbols to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress ahead of the October 6 by-elections. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction has been allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” with the “Football Player” symbol, while the Arup Roy-led faction has been allotted “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol.

The decision follows the Commission’s interim order on September 17 barring both factions from using the original “All India Trinamool Congress” name and its reserved “Flowers & Grass” symbol while the dispute over the party’s identity remains unresolved. TMC Party Symbol, Name Frozen by EC; Here's Why.

Mamata Faction Gets Football Player Symbol

The faction led by Mamata Banerjee will contest under the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress. The ECI has allotted it the Football Player symbol. The group will be treated as a recognised political party in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura, according to reports citing the Commission’s order. The Mamata-led camp had submitted alternative names and symbols after the Commission froze the original party identity for the upcoming bypolls.

Arup Roy Faction Gets Democratic Trinamool Congress Name

The rival faction led by Arup Roy, which is backed by expelled TMC legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, has been allotted the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope election symbol. The faction had submitted three preferred names — Nationalist Trinamool Congress, Democratic Trinamool Congress and West Bengal Trinamool Congress — along with three symbol choices: blackboard, envelope and torch.

Why ECI Froze the Original TMC Name and Symbol

The Election Commission had said there were two rival groups claiming to represent the All India Trinamool Congress — one led by Mamata Banerjee and the other by Arup Roy. Under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, the Commission is empowered to adjudicate disputes between rival groups claiming the identity of a recognised political party. ECI Freezes TMC ‘Name’ and ‘Symbol’ for Both Factions Ahead of Nandigram, Rejinagar Assembly Bypolls.

ECI Allots New Names, Symbols to Rival TMC Factions

The Election Commission of India has allotted new names and symbols to the two factions of the All India Trinamool Congress amid an ongoing dispute over the party's symbol.

The group led by Arup Roy has been allotted the name "Democratic Trinamool Congress" and the "Envelope"… pic.twitter.com/AHT2daUE2f

— IANS (@ians_india) September 18, 2026

The ECI said there was not enough time to complete the substantive proceedings before the ongoing by-elections. It therefore ordered an interim arrangement under which neither faction could use the original party name or the Flowers & Grass symbol.

October 6 Bypolls Triggered the Interim Arrangement

The dispute has a direct bearing on the upcoming by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, as well as the Nagaon parliamentary constituency in Assam. Polling is scheduled for October 6. Candidates backed by the two factions had already submitted nominations using competing Form-B authorisations, creating a situation in which both groups were claiming the same party identity.

The ECI's latest decision assigns those competing candidates to the newly designated faction names and symbols, providing separate electoral identities for the bypolls.

TMC Split and Organisational Dispute

The dispute intensified after the Trinamool Congress' defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Ritabrata Banerjee subsequently emerged as the face of a rebel group that claimed the support of a majority of TMC MLAs. The rebel camp later challenged Mamata Banerjee's position as party chairperson and appointed Arup Roy as its chairperson. Mamata's faction rejected those moves and continued to recognise her as the party chief. The competing claims eventually reached the Election Commission, which has been examining the organisational and legislative claims of the two sides.

Final TMC Identity Still to Be Decided

The latest allocation does not amount to a final resolution of the underlying dispute over ownership of the original Trinamool Congress identity. For the current electoral process, the two factions will operate under separate names and symbols. The substantive proceedings under Paragraph 15 will determine the competing claims over the original party name and reserved Flowers & Grass symbol. The development means voters in the affected constituencies will see the two rival groups contesting under newly allotted identities in the October 6 bypolls, rather than the original All India Trinamool Congress name and symbol.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2026 03:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).