West Bengal by-elections to test Trinamool rival groups’ claim over party symbol
By-elections in West Bengal on October 6 will test the rival factions of the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee, as both plan to field candidates and claim the party's 'grass and twin-flowers' symbol. The Election Commission of India will decide which faction gets to use the symbol, with rebels threatening to contest as independents if denied.
Why it matters
This political struggle highlights internal party divisions and the critical role of party symbols in Indian elections, potentially reshaping the political landscape of West Bengal and setting a precedent for future party splits.
With by-elections for two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal -Nandigram and Rejinagar- scheduled on October 6, both factions of Trinamool Congress -one led by Mamata Banerjee and the other by Ritabrata Banerjee- have decided to field candidates on both the seats.
However, the question is making rounds in the political circles: who will get the “ grass and twin-flowers’ symbol of Trinamool Congress in the upcoming by-elections.
“We will contest the by-polls. At the time of filing nominations, we will state that our candidates are from the Trinamool Congress and claim the twin-flower symbol. If the Election Commission does not allot the symbol to us by the deadline, our candidates will contest as independents,” Opposition Chief Whip in the West Bengal Assembly Akhruzzaman said on Wednesday (September 9, 2026).
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