Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Sep 9: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will meet both rival factions of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on September 12 in New Delhi to hear their claims over the party name and election symbol.
The Commission had earlier agreed to meet a five-member delegation of the "rebel but majority" faction led by expelled TMC legislator Ritabrata Banerjee at 11 a.m. on September 12.
It has now also agreed to meet the "original but minority" faction led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at noon on the same day.
The meetings of both factions will be held at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIDEM) in New Delhi.
Although the ECI has not specified the agenda in its communications to the two factions, Commission insiders said the discussions would centre on the arguments advanced by both sides in support of their claims to the party name and symbol.
ECI secretary Ashwani Kumar Mohal has sought the names of the members of both delegations, along with their vehicle numbers, to make necessary arrangements. The Commission has specified that each delegation should comprise five members.
The communication to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction came in response to its earlier request seeking an appointment with the Commission.
According to Commission insiders, a decision on the party name and symbol is expected before September 16, the last date for filing nominations for the upcoming bypolls to the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies in West Bengal.
Political observers believe the ECI has two options in view of the bypolls.
"The first option is allotting the official 'grassroots' symbol to any of the two rival Trinamool Congress factions. In that case, the faction to whom the symbol will be allotted will be able to contest the bypolls with that official symbol," a city-based political observer said.
"The second option is not allotting the symbol to any of the factions for the time being before a final decision in the matter is taken. In that case, neither of the two factions will be able to contest the bypolls with that official symbol," the observer added.