New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Friday allotted new names and election symbols to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress, a day after barring both groups from using the party’s name and its traditional ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol for the upcoming bypolls.

The faction led by Mamata Banerjee will contest as ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and has been allotted the ‘Football Player’ symbol.

The rival faction led by Arup Roy has been assigned the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Envelope’ symbol. Both groups will be recognised as political parties in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura under the interim arrangement.

The development follows the Election Commission’s interim order on Thursday, under which neither faction was allowed to use the name ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ or the reserved ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol until the dispute over control of the party is finally decided.

The Commission had subsequently directed both sides to submit three preferred names and three free symbols for the bypolls.

The Commission’s order came after hearings involving the rival factions at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi.

The poll panel said the dispute over organisational control and the party’s identity requires a final determination under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

The present arrangement is therefore interim and will remain in force until the proceedings are concluded.

The decision comes ahead of the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, where candidates have been fielded by the rival factions.

Polling for the two West Bengal Assembly seats is scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9.

The TMC’s internal dispute has centred on competing claims over the party’s organisational control, name and election symbol.

The Election Commission’s latest order provides the two factions with separate identities for the upcoming electoral contest while leaving the larger dispute unresolved.