ECI Seeks Responses from Both Trinamool Congress Factions Over Party Control
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has written to both factions of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) seeking their responses regarding 'claims and counter claims' made by them with respect to organisational elections and authorised signatories. The two factions are led by Mamata Banerjee, the party's founder and current chairperson, and Ritabrata Banerjee, an MLA from Uluberia Purba.
Both sides have been asked to submit their responses by 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 6, 2026, according to sources in the ECI on Thursday, July 2. Earlier in the day, a full Bench of the poll body met the faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
The Mamata Banerjee faction questioned the ECI's decision to grant an audience to the breakaway group, alleging that the meeting violated the poll body's own procedures. 'The ECI had informed all parties about their rule where only authorised representatives of parties can request a meeting with a full Bench of the ECI. We have not asked for any meeting. On what grounds is the ECI meeting the breakaway MLAs of the party? We decide who represents our party. Gyanesh Kumar (Chief Election Commissioner) has no role or power to decide for us,' said TMC MP Saugata Roy.
After the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee said the 10-member delegation led by him had formally placed its case before the poll panel, after informing it of the faction's special organisational session held in Kolkata on June 22. The Commission gave them a 'patient hearing' on their claim over the party, he said, and expressed hope that the poll body would respond shortly. While declining to disclose the documents submitted, Ritabrata Banerjee said the faction had 'abided by all rules' while conducting the June 22 organisational session.
'The All India Trinamool Congress had a special session in Kolkata on June 22. Immediately after the session, we formally informed the Election Commission about it in writing. We also met the Election Commission in Kolkata and sought an appointment with the Election Commission of India,' he said, adding that this was part of the prescribed procedure, and that the faction had already completed the process. Ritabrata Banerjee reiterated the faction's claim that it represented the 'real' Trinamool Congress.
The dispute began on June 3, when 58 Trinamool Congress MLAs submitted a letter to the West Bengal Assembly Speaker nominating Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition. This went against the party's decision to nominate veteran leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay to the position on May 20. On June 22, the breakaway group removed Mamata Banerjee as the TMC chairperson and appointed their own national working committee. The following day, they moved the ECI to lay claim to the party name and symbol.
The group led by Mamata Banerjee, following a meeting of the TMC's national working committee on June 20, informed the ECI of changes made in the party organisation, including the appointment of two joint secretaries — Dola Sena and Derek O' Brien. In the Lok Sabha, the Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party saw a split, with 20 out of 28 MPs merging into the little-known Nationalist Citizen Party of India.
The ECI's decision on the matter is awaited. Both factions have been asked to present their responses by Monday evening, after which the Commission will likely proceed with its adjudication on which group is entitled to the party name and election symbol.
