New symbols: Mamata gets 'football player', 'envelope' for rebel TMC bloc
The Election Commission of India has assigned new names and symbols to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress following a party split. Mamata Banerjee’s faction will use the 'football player' symbol, while the Arup Roy faction will use the 'envelope' symbol to ensure fair participation in upcoming bypolls.
Why it matters
The decision prevents the disenfranchisement of voters and ensures that both factions can legally compete in the electoral process despite the internal dispute.
NEW DELHI: Election Commission, a day after it temporarily froze Trinamool Congress' 'flowers and grass' poll symbol in view of the split in party, allotted a new set of party names and symbols to the rival factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy.EC approved the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' for the group led by Mamata and allotted it the 'football player' poll symbol. The rival faction led by Arup was allotted the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' and 'envelope' poll symbol. The commission, in its order issued Friday, said it shall treat both the factions as recognised political parties in the states of West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura. The new party names and symbols for Trinamool factions paved the way for their respective candidates to contest the Oct 6 bypoll to Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly seats in Bengal as well as Nagaon parliamentary seat in Assam.
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