Mamata Banerjee is heading to the Supreme Court to fight the Election Commission’s order that froze the Trinamool Congress’s original name and 'Jora Phool' symbol. The plea seeks urgent listing before the Chief Justice of India’s bench on Monday, September 21. This move caps a chaotic 24-hour period where the poll body barred both rival TMC factions from using the party’s traditional identity for the upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls, scheduled for October 6.
The EC’s interim order forced a painful split in branding. Mamata Banerjee’s camp now operates as the "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress" with the "Football Player" symbol. The rival faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, was allotted the name "Democratic Trinamool Congress" and the "Envelope" symbol. Mamata did not mince words, labeling the EC’s decision a "black day in the country’s democratic history" and alleging the move was politically motivated and unconstitutional.
The turmoil spilled immediately into the Nandigram contest. Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate fielded by Mamata’s faction, withdrew her nomination after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. With her candidate out, Mamata announced that her faction would support Congress nominee Milan Pradhan in the seat vacated by Adhikari after his 2026 Assembly win. The shift was abrupt, leaving the TMC brand sidelined in its own backyard.
Then, the plot thickened. Hours after Mamata publicly backed Milan Pradhan, police arrested the Congress candidate in connection with an alleged murder case from several years ago. The timing of the arrest—immediately following the endorsement—added a layer of legal jeopardy to an already unstable political landscape. Now, the Supreme Court’s intervention on September 21 will determine whether the TMC brand remains frozen or if the factions can reclaim their shared identity before the October 6 polls.