Kolkata, 21 September (H.S.): The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress on Monday unveiled a new party logo featuring a football player as its election symbol, following the Election Commission’s interim decision to freeze the party’s traditional name and “Flowers and Grass” symbol amid an internal dispute.

The new logo carries the words “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” in white against a blue background, with touches of saffron, white and green. The faction has instructed its leaders, elected representatives and workers to publicise the new logo and familiarise voters with the new symbol ahead of the upcoming by-elections.

The Election Commission has allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the football-player symbol to the Mamata faction. The rival faction has been allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the envelope symbol. The arrangements are interim and apply to the upcoming elections.

The development comes ahead of the October 6 by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar. With the traditional party name and symbol currently frozen, both factions are set to contest the polls under their newly allotted identities.

On Monday, several MPs and MLAs from the Mamata faction began sharing images of the new logo on social media as part of the campaign to familiarise voters with the new electoral identity.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has challenged the Election Commission’s interim decision before the Supreme Court, which has agreed to urgently list the matter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey