TMC Rebels Stake Claim Before ECI, Mamata Camp Objects
Claiming majority support within the party, he said, “We are TMC as we have over two-third majority. The majority of MLAs, councillors and zila parishad members are with us.”
New Delhi: A rebel faction of the Trinamul Congress on Thursday said it presented its claim over the party before the Election Commission of India, while the Mamata Banerjee-led camp questioned the poll panel’s decision to grant the group a hearing.
A 10-member delegation led by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the two Election Commissioners. The faction said it had informed the Commission about its organisational session held in Kolkata on June 22 and formally submitted its case.
Banerjee told reporters, “All India Trinamul Congress had a special session on June 22. Immediately after the session, we formally gave in writing to the Election Commission of India and physically met the ECI in Kolkata; at the time we had sought an appointment at the Election Commission of India. The CEC and other Election Commissioners gave us a patient hearing. We made our points. We are hopeful that the ECI will get back to us shortly.”
Claiming majority support within the party, he said, “We are TMC as we have over two-third majority. The majority of MLAs, councillors and zila parishad members are with us.”
He declined to disclose the documents submitted, stating, “I will not disclose what documents we have given, but our session took place abiding by all rules. We are very hopeful the Election Commission will contact us shortly.”
The faction has staked claim over the party’s name, symbol and organisational structure, asserting that it represents the majority of legislators and office-bearers.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction disputed the legitimacy of the move and questioned the Commission’s decision to grant a hearing. It maintained that the dissidents were not authorised signatories of the party.
TMC MPs Saugata Roy and Sagarika Ghose said only authorised signatories of a recognised political party could seek a meeting with the Commission and that no such request had been made by the party.
Roy said, “The Election Commission had informed all political parties that only authorised signatories can seek a meeting. The AITC did not ask for a meeting. On what basis did the Election Commission grant an appointment to a person expelled by the TMC?”
Ghose said, “Only authorised signatories can request a meeting with the Election Commission's full bench. Today, a group led by a person expelled from the party has met the full bench. As per the commission's own rules, how did this group get the meeting?”
She further alleged, “What is this group that doesn't have a single MP? It got an appointment with the full bench of the Election Commission only because the BJP and Amit Shah are behind it.”
The Election Commission has not yet responded to the claims.
