Mamata Banerjee Loses Trinamool Name and Symbol Ahead of West Bengal Byelections
Within just four and a half months after the declaration of the West Bengal Assembly election results, former Chief Minister and Trinamool president Mamata Banerjee has lost control of the party name and symbol she founded. Having spent decades fighting against the CPI(M)-led Left Front, the Congress, and the BJP to establish her political presence, Banerjee now faces a significant challenge to her leadership and credibility.
On September 18, 2026, the Election Commission resolved a months-long dispute between two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress. One faction remains loyal to Banerjee, while the other broke away under the leadership of Ritabrata Banerjee. The decision brings an end to the All India Trinamool Congress name and its well-known "Jora Ghash Phul" (enjoined flowers and grass) symbol, which had been central to West Bengal politics since January 1998.
Emergence of Two New Factions
Following the Election Commission's ruling, two distinct political entities have been established. Banerjee's faction will now operate under the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, using the symbol of a football player. The breakaway faction has been named the Democratic Trinamool Congress, represented by an envelope symbol.
These changes come immediately before the first elections to take place since the new BJP government was sworn in. Byelections for the Nandigram constituency in Purbo Medinipur and the Rejinagar constituency in Murshidabad are scheduled to be held on October 6.
The loss of the party name and symbol follows a series of political setbacks for Banerjee. After losing the state elections, more than 60 of the 80 MLAs who won on Trinamool tickets broke away to form a separate bloc. Additionally, 20 of her 28 Lok Sabha MPs merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a minor ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Candidate Withdrawals and Alliance Attempts
Speaking at a press conference at her Kolkata residence, an emotional Banerjee accused the breakaway faction of acting at the behest of the BJP to shield themselves from corruption allegations. She stated that the original symbol was created through years of struggle and the "Maa Maati Manush" movement, calling her former colleagues "thieves and dacoits" who betrayed the party.
The political crisis deepened on September 18 when Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate fielded by Banerjee's party for the Nandigram byelection, withdrew her candidature. The withdrawal occurred a day after Dey met with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, leaving Banerjee's faction unable to field a replacement candidate.
The following day, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, the candidate for Rejinagar, also announced his withdrawal, citing difficulties in motivating workers under the new symbol and alleging police harassment. However, after consulting with Banerjee, Chowdhury reversed his decision and confirmed he would contest the seat under her direction.
Failed Seat-Sharing and Arrests
In response to these developments, Banerjee proposed a seat-sharing arrangement to the Congress party, offering to support the Congress in Nandigram if they supported her candidate in Rejinagar. The Congress rejected the proposal. Following the rejection, Banerjee announced her party's support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in Nandigram.
Shortly after, Milan Pradhan was arrested based on a complaint filed by the Democratic Trinamool Congress. The complaint related to a 2007 case during the Nandigram land acquisition movement. In response, Congress leaders Pradip Bhattacharya and Mita Chakraborty led a protest rally in Kolkata on September 19 against the arrest.
In Rejinagar, the contest remains highly competitive. The Congress hopes to reclaim the seat, which Rabiul Alam Chowdhury previously won as a Congress candidate in 2013 and 2016 before winning on a Trinamool ticket in 2021. Meanwhile, Humayun Kabir of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) stated that neither he nor his son, candidate Golam Nabi Azad, would campaign due to ongoing police intimidation and the arrest of 25 party workers.
Concerns Over Democratic Space
Political observers have raised concerns regarding the state of democracy in West Bengal. Psephologist Biswanath Chakraborty noted that the new BJP administration faces similar allegations of suppressing opposition voices as those leveled against the previous Trinamool administration. He highlighted reports of opposition offices being ransacked and public meetings being blocked, forcing parties to seek intervention from the High Court.
Chakraborty also pointed to allegations that the BJP is using Ritabrata Banerjee's Democratic Trinamool Congress to target other opposition groups. Ritabrata Banerjee publicly claimed responsibility for the complaint that led to the arrest of Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, citing pending murder cases from 2007.
Despite these challenges, veteran political commentator Biswajit Bhattacharya cautioned against dismissing Mamata Banerjee's political future. He noted that while she faces a patriarchal political environment seeking to diminish her influence, she has historically proven to be a resilient survivor who has repeatedly overcome predictions of her political demise.
