Kolkata: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday criticised the Election Commission’s decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress’ original name and election symbol, describing the development as a “black day” for democracy.
Banerjee said the party’s identity and its traditional ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol were closely associated with its political journey. Comparing the loss of the party’s identity to the pain of a mother losing her child, she said she would continue the fight to restore the original name and symbol.
The Election Commission has temporarily allotted Banerjee’s faction the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Football Player’ symbol for the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
Banerjee made it clear that she would not consider the interim arrangement a permanent settlement. She said her faction would pursue the matter through political, democratic and legal channels until the party’s original identity is restored.
The dispute over the party’s name and symbol comes ahead of the two bypolls, with the rival factions now set to contest under separate identities and symbols.
