Bengal Bypolls: Rebel TMC Faction Names Candidates For Nandigram, Rejinagar As Fight Over Symbol Escalates

The rebel TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee on Monday named candidates for the bypolls to two assembly seats in West Bengal, taking its electoral battle with the Mamata Banerjee-led camp to the next level, while asserting that it will contest under the official party name and symbol, though the EC is yet to decide on the claims of rival groups.

Mohammad Eteshamul Haque will contest from Nandigram seat in Purba Medinipur district while Safiuzzaman Sheikh has been nominated from Rejinagar in Murshidabad, Ritabrata Banerjee said at a press conference at the TMC Bhavan here.

"We will draw the picture of the twin flowers. It is our symbol. We will use that very symbol in both constituencies," he said, asserting that the All India Trinamool Congress would contest the bypolls on its own.

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The assertion comes at a politically sensitive moment, with both the Ritabrata and Mamata Banerjee camps claiming the ''twin flowers on grass'' (Jora Ghash Phool ) symbol and approaching the Election Commission (EC) over the party's name, organisational control and assets.

The Mamata-led faction had on Sunday announced Sanchita Pradhan Dey as its candidate for Nandigram and former MLA Rabiul Alam Chowdhury for Rejinagar, raising the possibility of rival nominees claiming the same party identity and symbol in the bypolls.

The Election Commission heard representatives of the two factions on Saturday and subsequently sought additional documents from both sides. Both camps have been asked to submit the documents by September 16, the last date for filing nominations, with another hearing or meeting possible on September 17.

The symbol dispute could therefore become as consequential as the electoral contest itself.

If the commission does not settle the issue before polling, the symbol could be frozen temporarily, requiring the rival factions to contest under separate temporary names and symbols. Alternatively, one faction could be allotted the symbol while the other would have to adopt a different electoral identity.

Ritabrata, however, made it clear that his faction was preparing to contest on the basis of its claim to the original symbol.

The decision to field a candidate from Nandigram also follows an earlier assurance by the rebel camp that it would not contest the seat if Mamata Banerjee herself entered the fray.
Explaining the decision, Ritabrata said his faction had expected Mamata Banerjee to contest from the Nandigram seat because she had failed to win the 2026 assembly election.

"We wanted her to contest and come back to the assembly. If Dr Mamata Banerjee had contested, we would have withdrawn our candidature in her support," he said.

With Banerjee not entering the race, the rebel camp has now fielded Haque, setting up a direct electoral contest between the two TMC factions in a constituency that carries considerable political symbolism for the party.

The October 6 bypolls could consequently become the first substantive electoral test of the rival factions' claims to the TMC's organisational machinery and traditional support base since the party's defeat in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections.

For the Ritabrata faction, the objective is not simply to win either seat but to demonstrate that its claim to the TMC's political space has an electoral base. A meaningful vote share would strengthen its position in the continuing battle over the party's identity.

The Mamata camp, meanwhile, faces the strategic challenge of preventing a division of the traditional TMC vote, particularly if both factions succeed in presenting themselves to voters as the authentic Trinamool Congress.

Nandigram is particularly significant in this battle. The constituency was the epicentre of the anti-land acquisition movement that helped the TMC come to power in 2011 and later became the site of her closely fought electoral contest with BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

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Adhikari had contested both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the 2026 assembly polls and won both seats before vacating Nandigram, necessitating the bypoll.

Rejinagar too fell vacant after Humayun Kabir, who had won from both Rejinagar and Nowda, relinquished the former seat. Kabir has backed his son Golam Nabi Azad, popularly known as Robin, for the bypoll.

The BJP, which defeated the TMC in the 2026 assembly elections, is also in the contest and is expected to seek to exploit the division within the opposition party.

For the rebel faction, the bypolls represent a shift from the legal and organisational battle to a test of strength among voters.

For the Mamata camp, the stakes are equally political - retaining the traditional TMC vote while establishing its exclusive claim to the party's familiar electoral identity.

The unusual possibility of two rival factions campaigning under the same ''Jora Ghash Phool'' symbol has now added another layer of uncertainty to the contests, with the Election Commission's decision likely to shape the electoral battle even before the campaign gathers full momentum.

The last date for filing nominations is September 16, while counting will take place on October 9.

Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by The Daily Jagran staff and has been published through a syndicated feed by PTI.