Election Commission scrutiny and factional revolt threaten Trinamool Congress’s organisational control.
New Delhi:
In the aftermath of the Trinamool Congress’s crushing defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee is confronting a serious internal challenge that threatens her hold over the party. A fierce power struggle between rival factions has now reached the Election Commission of India, with the party’s compliance with its own constitution emerging as the central issue.
Sources within the party told The Sunday Guardian that the All India Trinamool Congress has not held its mandatory organisational elections since 2022, despite its constitution requiring such elections every three years. As a result, when an internal revolt surfaced in May 2026, the party allegedly lacked a constitutionally elected organisational structure.
According to the sources, this provided an opportunity for the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee to conduct its own organisational elections and claim before the Election Commission that it is the legitimate Trinamool Congress. The rival claim has intensified the battle for control of the party as well as its election symbol.
Both factions have approached the Election Commission seeking recognition as the genuine Trinamool Congress. The poll panel has issued notices to both groups, directing them to submit evidence supporting their respective claims by July 6.
Sources familiar with the proceedings said that the Election Commission typically decides disputes over political parties on the basis of three key criteria: whether the party has complied with its constitution, the level of organisational support measured through elected party delegates, and the numerical strength of each faction in the Legislative Assembly and the Lok Sabha.
According to sources, Mamata Banerjee’s camp appears to be at a disadvantage on the constitutional issue because the party allegedly failed to conduct organisational elections within the prescribed timeframe, rendering the previous executive committee without a valid mandate. The rebel faction has cited this as evidence to challenge the legitimacy of the existing leadership.
The dissident group has also asserted that it enjoys majority support among the party’s elected representatives. Sources claimed that 60 of the 80 MLAs elected on the Trinamool Congress ticket in the recent Assembly elections have thrown their weight behind the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction.
Sources further said that the Election Commission has sought detailed records relating to the party’s constitution, organisational elections and other relevant documents. Its scrutiny has reportedly found that the Trinamool Congress did not adhere to the provisions of its own constitution governing internal organisational polls.
The matter is significant because every political party, at the time of its registration, gives an undertaking to the Election Commission that it will function in accordance with its constitution and conduct periodic organisational elections.
Under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, political parties are required to comply with the commitments made at the time of registration. Non-compliance with the party constitution can empower the Election Commission to initiate action, including withdrawal of the party’s recognition and freezing or cancellation of its election symbol, subject to the applicable legal provisions.
With the party’s constitutional compliance now under the Election Commission’s scrutiny and both factions staking claim to the Trinamool Congress, the Commission’s decision is expected to determine which group will ultimately retain control of the party and its election symbol.
