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COVER STORY SEPTEMBER 25, 2026 | The Indian Eye 4

MAMATA BANERJEE

A NEW

POLITICAL TEST

The loss of the familiar TMC identity, the Nandigram candidate’s withdrawal
and the widening party split have opened an unusually difficult phase for Mamata Banerjee,

though the longer-term political outcome remains unsettled.

faction without its own candidate
OUR BUREAU
in a constituency loaded with politi-
Kolkata / New Delhi cal meaning. Mamata subsequently
announced that her faction would
or Mamata Banerjee, West support the Congress candidate in
Bengal politics has rarely been
Fshort of battles. But the events Nandigram.
The sequence of events has nat-
of the past few days have created a urally generated intense political
challenge of a different kind. The speculation. Pradhan Dey had met
Trinamool Congress founder is now West Bengal Chief Minister Suven-
confronting a combination of organ- du Adhikari at the state secretariat
isational rupture, the loss of her par- shortly before withdrawing from the
ty’s familiar name and symbol, and contest. Reports have described the
a dramatic setback in Nandigram — meeting as significant, but the reason
the constituency that has defined one for her withdrawal has not been pub-
of the most important chapters of her licly established. The political sig-
political career. nificance of the episode is therefore
The immediate trigger was the
Election Commission of India’s in- clearer than its underlying cause.
Nandigram carries particular
terim order in the dispute between weight because of Mamata and Su-
rival factions of the Trinamool Con- vendu Adhikari’s political history.
gress. Both groups have been barred Adhikari, once a key TMC lead-
from using the name “All India Trin- er, emerged as one of Mamata’s
amool Congress” and the traditional principal political opponents after
“Flowers and Grass” symbol until the joining the BJP. In the 2021 Assem-
Commission takes a final decision on bly election, he defeated Mamata in
the leadership dispute. Mamata Ba- Nandigram in one of the most close-
nerjee’s faction has been allotted the ly watched contests in the country.
name “Mamata All India Trinamool In the 2026 Assembly election, he
Congress” and the “Football Player” defeated her again after the contest
symbol, while the rival faction has shifted to Bhabanipur, according to
been given the name “Democratic published election results.
Trinamool Congress” and the “Enve- The Nandigram bypoll conse-
lope” symbol. quently has significance far beyond
For a party whose identity has
been built so closely around its lead- one Assembly seat. It is now another
stage in a political contest that has
er, the symbolism of the decision is come to symbolise the transforma-
difficult to ignore. tion of Bengal politics from the era
The TMC’s name and its twin-
flower-and-grass symbol have been Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a press conference at Ka- of TMC dominance to a more frag-
mented and competitive landscape.
central to Mamata’s political journey lighat, in Kolkata on Friday (ANI Photo) Yet it would be premature to
since the party’s formation. Losing interpret the latest developments as
the familiar electoral identity, even The timing makes the develop- Pradhan Dey, the candidate field- definitive proof that Mamata Baner-
on an interim basis, means that her ment even more consequential. ed by the Mamata faction in Nan- jee’s political career has reached its
faction must now ask voters to recog- Within hours of the Election digram, withdrew her nomination. end.
nise a different name and symbol in Commission’s decision, Sanchita The development left Mamata’s Continued on next page... >>
the forthcoming by-elections.

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