Ritabrata-led Trinamool faction to meet EC tomorrow amid 'who's real TMC' tussle

The battle over who owns the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is set to get intense on Thursday (July 2) when the faction led by Rotabrata Banerjee, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, will meet officials of the Election Commission (EC) in New Delhi.

Also read: From twice expelled to Bengal opposition leader: Who is Ritabrata Banerjee?

The party saw a split post its defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections, with the Ritabrata-led faction claiming that it is the real TMC and trying to corner the faction led by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Besides the name, a tug-of-war has also escalated over the party’s funds and twin-grass-flower election symbol.

Delegates to meet CEC Gyanesh Kumar, other EC officials

A 10-member delegation of the dissenting faction will meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the other election commissioners at noon, the camp’s leaders said on Wednesday (July 1).

“We have got an appointment tomorrow with the EC. A delegation of 10 members of the TMC would meet the EC bench on Thursday,” Ritabrata told news agency PTI.

However, he did not divulge the meeting's agenda.

Sources in the faction said the delegation is expected to press its claim before the poll panel that it represents the “real” TMC and should be recognised as the legitimate organisational and the legislative wing of the party.

Also read: Blow for Mamata as HC refuses to stay rebel Ritabrata's appointment as LoP

A leader of the camp said the faction would argue that it enjoys the support of a majority of the party’s organisational functionaries and elected representatives and therefore has a rightful claim over the party's name and symbol.

Ritabrata camp claims support of 64 MLAs

The TMC won 80 seats in the Bengal Assembly in the April elections. According to the Ritabrata camp, 64 of them are backing it, as against 16 in the Mamata camp.

The meeting comes days after leaders aligned with Ritabrata met officials of the West Bengal CEO's office in Kolkata and conveyed their position regarding the dispute over the party's symbol.

The internal tussle within the TMC escalated after a large section of its legislators broke ranks with the Mamata-led camp following the party's defeat in the Assembly elections in May.

Also read: TMC split and fight for symbol: Who gets the twin flowers?

The rival faction has since been locked in a bitter contest over control of the party organisation, legislative wing and political identity, with both sides staking claim to being the authentic TMC, which was formed by Mamata in 1998, after she was expelled from the Congress.

(With agency inputs)