'Vote Chori, Government Chori, Now Party Chori': Rahul Gandhi Targets EC Over TMC Ord
'Vote Chori, Government Chori, Now Party Chori': Rahul Gandhi Targets EC Over TMC Order
M.U.H
18/09/202612
New Delhi: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticised the Election Commission's interim order, barring rival Trinamool Congress (TMC) factions from using the party's name and its "Two Flowers and Grass" symbol in the upcoming West Bengal bypolls.
The Congress leader alleged that the Election Commission (EC), instead of protecting the electoral mandate, was helping forces that overturn people's verdicts.
He also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the poll panel of acting together to split opposition parties.
'First Shiv Sena, Then NCP, Now Trinamool Congress'
Reacting to the EC's decision, Rahul referred to earlier disputes involving the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He alleged a similar pattern was now emerging in the Trinamool Congress.
"First Shiv Sena, then NCP, and now Trinamool Congress. Every time, the same pattern - BJP and the Election Commission join forces to split a party. Then its election symbol is snatched away," Rahul said in a post on X.
He further linked the development to his allegations of vote and government "theft". "When an entire party can be stolen, it's hardly surprising that the votes of crores of Indians can be stolen too," the Congress MP said.
"Vote chori. Government chori. Now party chori - these have become symbols of our democratic decline," he added.
Gandhi also said the issue went beyond the ongoing dispute involving West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"The ECI's constitutional responsibility is to protect the mandate, but instead, it's aiding those very forces that overturn the people's verdict," he said.
"This fight isn't just Mamata Banerjee's. It's the fight of every political party, every voter who wants free and fair elections," the LoP added.
EC Bars Both Factions From Using TMC Name, Symbol
The Election Commission issued its interim order on Thursday night after hearing the rival factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy. The Commission said both groups were claiming to be the All India Trinamool Congress and that the dispute required a substantive determination under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
"On due consideration of the totality of information available on record... the Commission is of the opinion that there are two rival groups in the All India Trinamool Congress, one led by Ms Mamata Banerjee and the other led by Shri Arup Roy," the order said.
The Commission further stated, "Each group is now claiming to be the party, and therefore the matter requires a substantive determination by the Commission under Para 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order 1968."
As an interim arrangement for the bypolls, the Commission directed that neither faction would be allowed to use the name "All India Trinamool Congress" or the reserved "Flowers and Grass" symbol.
The order said the arrangement was intended to place both groups "on an even keel" and protect their rights and interests until the dispute is finally determined. The factions were also asked to submit their preferred names and symbols for the bypolls.
Congress, Kejriwal Question EC Decision
The Congress had on Thursday criticised the Election Commission's decision, alleging that freezing the party name and symbol amounted to an abdication of the poll body's constitutional responsibility.
The party had also described the move as CEC Gyanesh Kumar's "late-night birthday gift" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also reacted to the development ahead of the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies.
"Modi ji's birthday gift to the country. Will they win the election this way?" Kejriwal posted on X.
The EC's interim order followed a hearing at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi, where representatives of the two rival factions appeared before the poll panel after being asked to submit their final arguments in the dispute.
