Nandigram poll, resetting Mamata-Congress relations

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a press conference at Kalighat in Kolkata on Friday (September 18, 2026). | Photo credit: ANI

A lot has happened in the last two days on Thursday (September 17, 2026) and Friday (September 18), which is likely to have a long-lasting impact on West Bengal politics.

In the final hours of Thursday (September 17), the Election Commission of India froze the symbol of grass and two flowers and the name All India Trinamool Congress. The commission has allotted separate symbols and names to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress – the Mamata Banerjee faction and the Ritabrata Banerjee group. Mamata Banerjee and her loyalists got a football player symbol alongside the name – Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, while Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction got an envelope symbol with the name – Democratic Trinamool Congress.

Published – 19 Sep 2026 10:34 IST