Politics
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Rahul Gandhi backs Mamata after EC freeze before 2 bypolls
The Indian Express··18 Sept
Rahul Gandhi backed Mamata Banerjee after the Election Commission froze the All India Trinamool Congress name and symbol. The order covers Banerjee and Arup Roy factions ahead of Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls. Gandhi said on X that the Commission and the BJP were splitting parties and taking symbols. Both factions have been directed to submit interim names and free symbols.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Voters in Nandigram and Rejinagar will not see the familiar TMC name or symbol on bypoll ballots under the interim order.
- Both factions have a Friday deadline to file preferred interim names and free-symbol choices.
- Interim names may still refer to the parent party, the Commission said.
What's Happening
- The Commission cited Paragraph 15 of the 1968 Election Symbols Order and said timelines block an immediate final ruling.
- Gandhi linked the freeze to earlier Shiv Sena and NCP splits in an X post.
- During Thursday hearings, the Mamata camp urged no interim freeze while the Arup Roy camp sought the name and symbol.
How the Party Split Widened
- About 60 of 80 TMC MLAs revolted after the May Assembly polls and named Ritabrata Banerjee Leader of the Opposition.
- In the Lok Sabha, 20 of Mamata Banerjee's 28 MPs broke away to the Nationalist Citizens Party of India.
- Mamata argues her committee's term runs through 2027 under a constitution filed on March 9.
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