On September 17, 2026, the Election Commission of India ordered the freezing of the All India Trinamool Congress’s name and its iconic “grass and flowers” symbol after two rival factions, one led by founder Mamata Banerjee and the other by Arup Roy, both claimed ownership of the party.
The 14‑page directive issued by the Election Commission (ECI) states that, because the two groups are contesting the party’s identity, neither can use the Trinamool name or its emblem until a substantive determination is made.
Mamata Banerjee founded the All India Trinamool Congress almost 28 years ago, designing the party’s symbol of grass and flowers to represent its grassroots ethos.
The internal dispute has now escalated to a legal‑administrative level, with Arup Roy heading a rival faction that also asserts the right to the party’s name and symbol.
The freeze means that both factions are barred from contesting elections under the Trinamool banner until the ECI resolves the ownership issue, a development that could reshape the political landscape in West Bengal and affect upcoming electoral contests.