Election Commission calls two rival TMC factions on October 30 for joint hearing

The Gyanesh Kumar-led Election Commission of India has asked two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress to appear before it for a joint hearing on October 30.

The hearing, where the Mamata Banerjee-led main party and the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel bloc in the Assembly will appear together before contentious chief election commissioner Kumar and his colleagues in the full bench, is expected to help Nirvachan Sadan decide which faction receives the party’s legal identity, election symbol and assets.

“Yes, indeed, we have been asked to attend this hearing on October 30. Yes, it will be a joint hearing. They have also been asked to show up,” said Ritabrata, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.

A senior Mamata loyalist confirmed that Kalighat has also been asked to attend the exercise.

This development follows a Thursday complaint in which the Mamata loyalist faction formally petitioned state and constitutional authorities, accusing the ruling dispensation of orchestrating a sweeping police-backed conspiracy to manufacture support for the rebel faction led by Ritabrata.

Following a Supreme Court order issued on September 28 directing the EC to decide the matter within three months pursuant to a writ petition filed by the Mamata-led faction, both camps must submit supporting affidavits from organisational members by October 26.

“Our position is fully, undeniably legal and constitutional. But this shamefully compromised EC, led by one of India’s most hated men right now, does not care about legality or the Constitution. We expect a bitter, unfair fight ahead,” said a Mamata loyalist. “But we will drag them to the Supreme Court, should they try to play foul.”

Since the May 4 Assembly poll results, Mamata’s party has suffered setbacks on multiple fronts. In the Assembly, more than 60 of the party’s 80 MLAs sided with the Ritabrata-led rebel faction. Twenty of Trinamool’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs quit the party and joined the little-known NCPI, a BJP ally. Four of Mamata’s 13 Rajya Sabha members resigned and were sent back to the Upper House as BJP nominees.