NAOGAON / GUWAHATI: The Assam unit of the All India Trinamool Congress announced on Friday that it has withdrawn its candidate from the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election scheduled for 6 October, in protest against the Election Commission's decision to temporarily freeze the party's original name and election symbol for the contest.
Decision follows EC order on party identity
The nomination of educationist Abdul Salam for the Nagaon bypoll was formally withdrawn after the poll panel issued an order restricting use of the party’s registered name — All India Trinamool Congress — and its familiar ‘flowers and grass’ symbol for the by-election. The Election Commission provisionally allotted two alternative names and symbols to rival factions while the commission adjudicates an internal dispute.
“We wholeheartedly support the decision taken by our Chairperson, Mamata Banerjee. We are deeply shocked by the unjust and undemocratic move to temporarily freeze our party's name and election symbol for the Nagaon by-election… In protest against this, we have resolved not to contest this by-election in the Nagaon constituency,” Assam TMC convenor and MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed said in a statement.
The EC gave the Mamata Banerjee-led faction the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ with a ‘Football Player’ symbol for use in the bypoll. The rival group led by Arup Roy was allotted ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ with the ‘Envelope’ symbol. The arrangement will remain in force pending the commission’s final determination in the factional dispute.
Immediate political impact in Nagaon
Party withdrawal alters the contest in Nagaon, a seat that became vacant after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the party and later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Trinamool’s exit removes a formally declared candidate from the ballot under the party banner and may affect vote arithmetic, alliances and campaigning strategies in the run-up to polling.
Local observers say a withdrawal on principle emphasises the party’s protest against the EC’s intervening order, while also signalling to supporters and allied groups the seriousness with which it views the temporary restrictions on party identity for a key contest in Assam.
EC’s provisional arrangement and next steps
The Election Commission’s provisional allotment of distinct names and symbols to the competing factions is a measure commonly used to ensure polling proceeds where internal disputes remain pending adjudication. The commission has said the arrangement will remain until a final decision on the leadership and rightful claim to the original party name and symbol is reached.
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Bypoll date | 6 October |
| Originally nominated candidate | Abdul Salam (educationist) |
| Mamata faction (provisional) | Mamata All India Trinamool Congress — Football Player symbol |
| Arup Roy faction (provisional) | Democratic Trinamool Congress — Envelope symbol |
Wider implications for Assam politics
Assam’s electoral landscape has been closely fought in recent years, with national and regional parties contesting influence in the state. The EC intervention and the TMC’s withdrawal introduce fresh uncertainty into contest preparations and could influence how other parties position themselves in Nagaon.
How the commission ultimately rules on the intra-party dispute will have implications beyond a single bypoll, given the importance of party name and symbol recognition among voters, particularly in the North-East where party identity and local organisational strength often shape electoral outcomes.
Further developments are likely to follow both from the Election Commission’s final decision on the factional claims and from any legal or political responses the TMC may pursue. Voting in the Nagaon by-election will proceed on 6 October under the EC’s current provisional arrangements unless altered by subsequent orders.
With inputs from agency reports.
