Kolkata: The Indian Secular Front (ISF), a minor Opposition party in West Bengal, moved the Calcutta High Court on Monday challenging the Election Commission’s decision to allot its “envelope” election symbol to the Democratic Trinamul Congress, the rebel faction of the erstwhile Trinamul Congress.
Meanwhile, the Mamata Banerjee-led Mamata All India Trinamul Congress unveiled its new “football player” symbol ahead of the October 6 Assembly bypolls.
The ISF challenged the EC’s September 18 decision allotting the “envelope” symbol, which it had used in the Assembly elections, to the Democratic Trinamul Congress and assigning the ISF a new symbol, “almirah”.
The petition is expected to come up for hearing later this week.
Bhangar ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui said the party had contested the Assembly elections on the “envelope” symbol, which was already registered with the EC, and argued that changing it just before the bypolls would confuse voters.
“Our ‘envelope’ symbol is already recognised by our voters. Changing it just before the bypoll will confuse them,” Siddiqui said.
He alleged that the decision could help the rebel Trinamul faction secure votes from ISF supporters because of their familiarity with the symbol.
Questioning how the EC could change the symbol without consulting the party, Siddiqui said the ISF had already lodged its objection with the poll panel.
He also questioned how the newly formed Democratic Trinamul Congress could be allotted the symbol.
Riju Dutta, a spokesperson for the Democratic Trinamul Congress headed by Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, defended the EC’s decision, arguing that the ISF was an “unrecognised party”.
The EC had frozen the original “All India Trinamul Congress” name and its flowers-and-grass symbol following a dispute between the rival factions and subsequently allotted them separate interim names and symbols for the bypolls.
The Mamata Banerjee faction was allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamul Congress” and the “football player” symbol, while the rebel faction was given the name “Democratic Trinamul Congress” and the “envelope” symbol.
Meanwhile, the Mamata faction on Monday unveiled a new logo featuring a football player and began a campaign to familiarise voters with the new symbol.
The logo has the football player at the centre, surrounded by the words “Mamata All India Trinamul Congress” against a blue background.
Party leaders, workers and elected representatives have been asked to publicise the new identity.
The move came even as Banerjee challenged the EC’s decision in the Supreme Court to freeze the original party name and symbol and sought an urgent hearing.
The new symbols are to be used for the October 6 Assembly bypolls, pending a substantive determination by the EC of the dispute over the original Trinamul Congress.
In another development, the RSP, a Left Front constituent, announced its withdrawal from the Rejinagar bypoll contest, alleging that the EC had failed to recognise its party symbol despite its longstanding use.
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