Kolkata, Oct 26: Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and leader of the rebel faction in Trinamool Congress, on Monday accused the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of attempting to rob crucial affidavits meant for submission to the Election Commission of India (ECI), IANS reported. The affidavits are meant to establish rights over the original party name, All India Trinamool Congress, and its electoral symbol, Flowers & Grass. This is an allegation by one faction; it has not been independently established.
Source: IANS via Hi India
In a social media statement issued on Monday morning, Ritabrata claimed an attempt was made by supporters of the Mamata-led faction to take control of a truck carrying his faction's affidavits on its way to New Delhi from Kolkata, and that workers of his faction foiled the attempt to snatch the documents, IANS reported.
Source: IANS via BizzBuzz
According to his statement reported by IANS, his faction's workers had set out by road on the morning of October 24 to deposit the affidavits with the ECI, while the rival faction's affidavits had been carried to Delhi by a chartered flight on the evening of October 25. Those details are his claims, as reported.
Source: IANS via Hi India
Earlier this year, the ECI temporarily froze the original party name and the original electoral symbol, IANS recalled. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction was allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol, while the Ritabrata-led faction was allotted the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol, the report said.
Source: IANS via BizzBuzz
At the time of reporting on October 26, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction had not issued any response to Ritabrata Banerjee's allegations, Nation Press reported. The ECI is expected to proceed with its adjudication once affidavits from both sides are received and verified, the report said.
Source: Nation Press