Legal battle; support for Congress: How Mamata Banerjee plans to fight back in Nandigram | Explainer
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee finds herself locked in an intense political crisis ahead of crucial assembly by-elections. The Election Commission of India has frozen the name and traditional 'flowers-and-grass' symbol of the All India Trinamool Congress following an internal party dispute. In response to this interim arrangement, the poll panel allotted Banerjee's group the temporary name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' alongside a new 'Football Player' symbol for the upcoming 6 October bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Vowing to challenge the decision politically, democratically, and legally, Banerjee termed the action a "black day" in the democratic history of the country.
A symbol frozen and a court battle promised
Banerjee made it clear that she does not view the poll panel's interim decision as a final settlement. While insisting that she meant no disrespect to constitutional bodies, she expressed strong disagreement with the outcome. She revealed that the opposition had threatened her party's existence beforehand. Referring to those comments, she remarked, "They had said beforehand, 'naam bhi rakhne doonga, nishaan bhi nahi rakhne doonga'. Who are these people? They are in power today; they might not be in power tomorrow. They should understand their limitations,". Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy also dismissed the binding nature of the order. He stated, "I have no reaction. This is a temporary order only for only two by-elections. So we do not accept the order. Nor do I think it's a permanent order,". Banerjee vowed to reclaim the original party identity and the twin-flower symbol, insisting that the emblem was earned through decades of grass-roots movement.
Personal anguish and party ownership claims
For Banerjee, losing the party symbol is a deeply emotional setback. She compared the loss to an intimate family tragedy. "A mother understands the pain of losing a child, and a child understands the pain of losing a mother. Those who have not built this organisation through struggle cannot understand that emotional bond," she said. She stressed that her bond with the organisation she created 29 years ago remains unbreakable. "I cannot leave the All India Trinamool Congress. It is a party I founded and built through 29 years of struggle, sacrifice and political battles. As long as I am alive, this party will remain part of me, and it will remain with our workers," she declared. Reaffirming her dedication, she added, "They do not know that I cannot leave All India Trinamool Congress. It will always be with me until I leave this world. Absolutely dirty game, but we are also ready to fight it out,". She further reminded her followers of the party's roots: "If anyone truly loved Trinamool, they would not try to take away its identity or symbol. The twin-flower symbol was built with blood, struggle, sacrifice and the love of Maa, Mati, Manush (mother, land, people),".
Challenge from the rival faction
The dispute over party ownership stems from a split led by Assembly chief whip Akhruzzaman, who claims his faction represents the true party. Akhruzzaman rejected Banerjee's claims and asserted that his group holds legitimate control. "We are the original Trinamool Congress. We are the All India Trinamool Congress. We are the real owners. This is because the majority of MLAs, the vast majority of three-tier panchayat members, and the people who built the Trinamool Congress's leadership across the state — over 80 per cent of them — stayed with us," Akhruzzaman asserted. He also accused Banerjee of failing to address corruption within her administration, arguing that if "90 per cent" of her ministers were corrupt, she must answer as Chief Minister. Furthermore, Banerjee raised questions about procedural fairness during the Election Commission's inquiry. She questioned a meeting between election officials and rival faction members at a city hotel, alleging that only a few individuals had signed the relevant documents. She pointed out that her group submitted complete records of organisational elections from the grass roots to the national level, whereas the rival group had conducted no comparable elections.
Allegations of central pressure and national political parallels
Banerjee framed the poll panel's order as part of a wider effort by the Bharatiya Janata Party to dismantle opposition parties across India. She drew direct comparisons to political developments in Maharashtra. "First they broke the party of Uddhav Thackeray and then the NCP. Now, they are after us," she alleged. She also accused former party colleagues who joined the BJP of seeking political protection against criminal cases through what she described as "washing machine" politics. Despite these troubles, she insisted that state coercion would not endure indefinitely. "Chains cannot last forever. One day, those chains will be broken, and the people of this country will once again experience genuine freedom," she stated. Following the ruling, opposition figures including Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal contacted Banerjee to offer solidarity.
Nandigram's historic shadow over West Bengal politics
Nandigram holds massive political significance in West Bengal's recent history. In 2007, police firing against anti-land acquisition protesters created widespread public outrage, giving Banerjee the moral ground to launch her "Ma, Mati, Manush" platform alongside the Singur anti-displacement movement. This agitation ended 34 years of Left Front rule in 2011. Local leader Suvendu Adhikari and his family consolidated power in East Midnapore, with Adhikari winning the Nandigram seat in 2016 as a Trinamool MLA. However, Adhikari broke away to join the BJP in 2020. In the 2021 state election, Banerjee left her safe seat of Bhabanipur to take on Adhikari directly in Nandigram. Adhikari won by 1,956 votes, dealing a symbolic blow to Banerjee, though she retained her Chief Ministership by winning a subsequent by-election in Bhabanipur. In April's assembly elections, Adhikari consolidated his power further, becoming Chief Minister of West Bengal after defeating Banerjee in Bhabanipur. Thus, Nandigram has transformed from the cradle of her political rise into the site of her sharpest electoral setbacks.
Tactical retreat and support for the Congress candidate
The latest crisis in Nandigram unfolded after Banerjee's nominated candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, unexpectedly withdrew her nomination. Dey's withdrawal came shortly after she met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna alongside her husband. Left without a candidate, Banerjee announced that her faction would support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. Describing Congress as a "sister party", Banerjee declared, "In Nandigram, we are going to give our support to the Congress party. It is for the greater interest of the country. Rejinagar, I will decide later. In Assam, we are not contesting,". She denied that the decision was driven by Dey's exit, maintaining that Congress fielded a "good candidate". Rival faction spokesman Ritabrata disputed this explanation, calling it a "case of sour grapes". Ritabrata alleged, "For the past seven days, we learned they were trying to leave Nandigram to the Congress and contest from Rejinagar themselves. When the Congress refused, she became absolutely furious, declaring she wouldn't even sit with them in Parliament. Now, suddenly, their candidate withdrew their nomination; this too is a 'fix' with the BJP,". Commenting on the fluid situation, Ritabrata posted on X: "Politics is a permanent war; a war at every hour; a war at every minute; a war at every second - a war that changes interests, needs and priorities. Long live the eternal ideas & values of Democracy enshrined in India's Constitution.". Meanwhile, Akhruzzaman urged Banerjee's group to support his faction's candidate instead, stating, "If she really wants to fight against the BJP, then support our candidate in Nandigram.".
Midnight arrest of the Congress candidate in an old case
Just hours after Banerjee announced her support for Milan Pradhan, police arrested the Congress candidate from a hotel in Chandipur, Purba Medinipur district. Police officers stated that Pradhan was apprehended under an outstanding warrant linked to a 2007 anti-land acquisition movement murder case. Pradhan faces charges in over 12 cases connected to the original Nandigram agitation. Another Congress leader, Subhasish Bhattacharya, was also arrested for allegedly attempting to prevent police officers from taking Pradhan into custody. Banerjee immediately attacked the arrest, linking it directly to her endorsement. "Minutes after we extended our support to the Congress candidate for the bypoll in Nandigram, the Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested. The timing raises serious questions and is the usual BJP formula: dig out an old case. But why now? Just after we announced support to the Congress!" she posted on X. She added, "With manipulation, with vote loot, with intimidation the Election Agency-BJP partnership is killing democracy every day.".
Congress leadership denounces candidate arrest as political revenge
The arrest sparked fierce condemnation from top Congress leaders across the country. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge described the operation as "a brazen attempt at VOTE CHORI and CHUNAV CHORI". Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi called the arrest "political revenge". Gandhi posted on X, "The BJP has no faith in fair elections -- that's why it wants to cling to power sometimes through vote theft, sometimes through stealing governments, and sometimes through stealing parties,". He added that the ruling party wanted to "end the electoral fight altogether", declaring, "The Congress will neither fear nor bow down. We will fight -- and we will win,". Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal also condemned the police action. "Democracy is on ventilator in BJP's West Bengal. This is BJP's latest effort to ensure 'Opposition-Mukt Bharat', successfully converting our great Constitutional democracy into a Banana Republic," Venugopal posted on X. He added, "Using a dormant 19-year old case from 2007 to arrest our candidate - minutes after Mamata Banerjee ji extended support - is a sign that BJP will go to any lengths to hijack democracy,". Venugopal emphasised that Congress had previously driven out oppressive British rule and would not be intimidated by "cheap copycats".
Party reactions and state Congress stance
West Bengal Congress President Subhankar Sarkar initially noted confusion surrounding the detention, stating, "What will I say about this? He hasn't been shown arrested yet. The police came and took him, but they haven't shown an arrest yet. It's not clear what's going on,". Sarkar later reported that a climate of fear had been created in Nandigram while Pradhan was campaigning following nomination scrutiny. Sarkar asserted that voters must decide electoral outcomes freely. "The Congress party has always sought to advance democracy within a multi-party system. Our leaders, Rahul Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal, as well as the state Congress leadership and our in-charge, Prakash Joshi, have all emphasised that in a democratic political system, the public decides which party to accept through the electoral process," Sarkar stated. AICC in-charge Prakash Joshi reiterated that the poll panel was failing to act independently. "Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have long been contending that the Election Commission is not impartial; they argue that the Commission has become a complete puppet of the BJP and the PM Modi-led government," Joshi said, promising that Congress would still "fight the election vigorously". Congress spokesperson Mita Chakraborty expressed sympathy over Banerjee's situation. "Mamata Banerjee may well have done many things wrong, but she has devoted so much of her life to the TMC. The party's symbol and identity are inextricably linked to her... Now that this has been taken away from her, what can one say? I feel bad for the state of democracy in our country today," Chakraborty said.
The BJP defends law enforcement and questions Congress record
The BJP rejected allegations of institutional interference, emphasizing that judicial warrants and constitutional rules governed party disputes and police arrests. BJP National General Secretary Smriti Z. Irani targeted Rahul Gandhi over his attacks on the Election Commission, pointing to historical decisions under previous Congress administrations. "Taking a jibe at the BJP, Rahul Gandhi today presented the dark history of his own party. Is it not true that in 1980, the Central Govt of Congress dismissed 9 State Govts in the country by taking the help of Article 356? Is it not true that during UPA rule in 2005, Congress party dissolved the Bihar Assembly? This act of Congress was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Why do the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi attack the Election Commission again and again? Whose agenda is Rahul Gandhi pushing?" Irani stated. BJP MP Sambit Patra similarly criticized Gandhi's remarks. "Firstly, Rahul Gandhi shows absolutely no respect for India's judicial system; there is a judicial process and a verdict involved here," Patra said. Patra added that regional parties like TMC and NCP had themselves originated from Congress splits, citing historical political maneuvering such as the 1979 Janata Party crisis, the merger of Janata Party and Lok Dal in Haryana, and the 1984 attempt to split the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh.
High stakes ahead of October bypolls
With voting set for October 6 and votes scheduled to be counted on October 9, the Nandigram by-election has transformed from a routine local contest into a multi-cornered battle over party identity, law enforcement impartiality, and opposition alliance dynamics. The dispute highlights the ongoing political transformation of West Bengal, where Banerjee's legacy and political future remain under intense test.