West Bengal: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee has moved the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to temporarily freeze the party's name and election symbol. The poll panel's action came amid an ongoing dispute between two factions, one led by the former chief minister and the other by Ritabrata Banerjee.   

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EC Assigns New Names And Symbols

Under its interim order dated September 17, the Election Commission barred both factions from using the 'All India Trinamool Congress' name and its 'flowers and grass' symbol for the upcoming October by-elections. The poll body directed both sides to submit different names and symbols.

The ECI on Friday allotted the Mamata Banerjee-led faction the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' alongside the 'Football Player' symbol. Meanwhile, the Ritabrata Banerjee-Arup Roy faction was assigned the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' and 'Envelope' as its symbol.

Challenging the decision before the Supreme Court, Banerjee called the ECI's interim order "illegal".

Nandigram Bypoll: Candidate Exit And Sudden Arrest 

This move came hours after Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate for the Mamata Banerjee faction in Nandigram, withdrew her nomination after a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

At a press conference at her Kalighat residence shortly after, Banerjee announced that her faction would support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. Calling the Congress a "sister party," she said, "Let the message (for strengthening INDIA bloc) begin from Bengal."

However, hours after her announcement, Pradhan was arrested in connection with a murder case linked to the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition protests.

Rahul Gandhi Alleges 'Political Revenge', BJP Takes Dig 

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi condemned the arrest, calling it an act of "political revenge" and "murder of democracy". 

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"The Congress will neither fear nor bow down. We will fight-and we will win," Gandhi said.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal posted on X (formerly Twitter), "Using a dormant 19-year-old case from 2007 to arrest our candidate - minutes after Mamata Banerjee ji extended support - is a sign that BJP will go to any lengths to hijack democracy."

Addressing the arrest, Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh said, "Why such lack of confidence, why such fear?"

Meanwhile, Bengal state Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury clarified that his party had not sought Banerjee's backing, stating, "She had fielded a candidate, and now that her candidate has withdrawn, she is extending support to us. We have not asked for her support."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took a dig, stating that neither party would win the seat regardless.

(With Inputs From Agencies)