The Election Commission of India has yet to announce a final decision on the dispute over the Trinamool Congress name and election symbol, adding uncertainty to preparations for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly bypolls. The nomination process for the Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies ends on September 16, 2026, while the Election Commission is scheduled to consider the dispute again on September 17.
The dispute centres on competing claims by two factions of the Trinamool Congress. One faction is led by Mamata Banerjee, while the rival group is led by Ritabrata Banerjee. Both sides have approached the Election Commission with claims concerning the party's organisational control, name and reserved election symbol. The commission has already heard representatives of both groups and sought additional documents as part of the process.
The timing of the dispute is significant because the nomination deadline for the two bypolls falls before the commission's next scheduled hearing. Reports indicate that the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has continued with its preparations for the elections, while the Ritabrata-led faction has also announced candidates for the constituencies. The rival groups are therefore preparing to contest the bypolls while awaiting clarity from the poll panel over the party's official recognition and symbol.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction has announced Sanchita Pradhan De as its candidate for Nandigram and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury as its candidate for Rejinagar. Rabiul Alam Chowdhury has already filed nomination papers using the party's twin-flower symbol, according to reports. The rival Ritabrata faction has also announced candidates for both constituencies, creating the possibility of competing candidates claiming to represent the Trinamool Congress.
The Election Commission's decision is expected to determine which faction, if either at this stage, will be formally recognised as the Trinamool Congress for electoral purposes and which side can use the party's reserved symbol. Until the commission settles the issue, the rival factions face uncertainty over how their candidates and campaign materials will be identified during the bypoll process.
The dispute has also developed alongside preparations by other political parties for the October 6 bypolls. The BJP has announced Hasirani Rath as its candidate for Nandigram and Sakharav Sarkar for Rejinagar. The Congress and Left Front have also announced candidates for the two constituencies. As a result, the final shape of the contests will depend on the nominations filed and the Election Commission's decisions regarding the competing TMC claims.
The Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls are scheduled for October 6, with counting scheduled for October 9. The contests are being closely watched because they are among the first significant Assembly bypolls in West Bengal after the 2026 Assembly election. The unresolved TMC symbol dispute adds another procedural and political dimension to the elections.
For now, the key development is that the Election Commission has not issued a final ruling on the TMC name and symbol dispute before the September 16 nomination deadline. The commission's scheduled proceedings on September 17 are therefore expected to provide further clarity on the competing claims. Until then, the rival factions will continue their election preparations while the status of the party name and symbol remains under consideration.