2026 is set to be the biggest political challenge of Mamata Banerjee’s political career. The government, the party, the symbol everything is gone. And now, just before the election, even the candidate has walked away.

Sanchita Pradhan De, the candidate backed by Mamata Banerjee, has withdrawn her candidature from Nandigram. With the deadline for filing nominations already over, Mamata Banerjee’s party will not be able to field another candidate from the constituency.

All in all, this has come as a major setback for her. Following this, Mamata Banerjee announced that her party would support the Congress candidate in the constituency.

But why did Mamata Banerjee’s camp find itself in this situation?

In 2026, the Trinamool Congress lost power in the state. Since then, party leaders began openly expressing their dissatisfaction with the top leadership.

A large section of Trinamool MLAs came together under the leadership of Ritabrata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool supremo, was effectively reduced to a minority within her own party.

Since then, the faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has been claiming to be the ‘real Trinamool’. From party offices to party funds, and even the party symbol, the faction has claimed ownership of the organisation.

Then came the by-election

In Nandigram and Rejinagar, candidates were fielded by both factions of the Trinamool. Both were contesting under the name Trinamool Congress and seeking to use the same symbol — the twin flowers.

With two Trinamool factions contesting from the same constituency and both claiming the same symbol, the Election Commission decided to freeze the symbol.

The Commission also made it clear that neither faction would be allowed to use the name ‘Trinamool Congress’ for the time being.

Both groups would therefore have to contest the election under new names and with new symbols.

Alternative Name and Symbol for the Trinamool Factions

For the by-election, the faction led by Mamata Banerjee has been given the alternative name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’.

Its election symbol is a footballer.

Meanwhile, the faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has been given the alternative name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’.

Its symbol is an envelope.

The envelope symbol has already sparked another controversy. Although it is not an established election symbol, the envelope is also used as the symbol of the Indian Secular Front. There are concerns that this could potentially confuse voters.

In any case, using these new names and symbols, the two Trinamool factions will now have to contest the by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar.

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