📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Biswarup Ganguly
Politics
Mamata-led TMC faction allotted football-player election symbol and new party name
✍️ livemint.com
🗓 19 Sep 2026, 07:15 AM
👁 29
The Election Commission has assigned a football-player icon and an official name to the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress as the party split deepens.
The Election Commission of India has approved a new electoral symbol depicting a football player for the faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The symbol will appear on ballot papers in upcoming polls, giving the faction a distinct visual identity.
In addition to the symbol, the commission has officially recognized a new party name for the Mamata-led group, formalising the split from the rebel camp that earlier claimed the original TMC name and emblem. The move follows months of internal discord over leadership and strategy within the party.
The rival rebel faction has not yet received a symbol and is still in the process of filing its registration. Political analysts note that a recognizable symbol such as a football player could help the Mamata faction retain its voter base ahead of the next state assembly elections.
The decision comes as the Election Commission finalises symbols from its reserve list, ensuring they meet all legal criteria before being allotted to contesting parties.
In addition to the symbol, the commission has officially recognized a new party name for the Mamata-led group, formalising the split from the rebel camp that earlier claimed the original TMC name and emblem. The move follows months of internal discord over leadership and strategy within the party.
The rival rebel faction has not yet received a symbol and is still in the process of filing its registration. Political analysts note that a recognizable symbol such as a football player could help the Mamata faction retain its voter base ahead of the next state assembly elections.
The decision comes as the Election Commission finalises symbols from its reserve list, ensuring they meet all legal criteria before being allotted to contesting parties.