CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: A new turn has emerged in the continuing dispute between two Trinamool Congress (TMC) factions in West Bengal over the party name and election symbol. Rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee has alleged that an attempt was made to stop a truck carrying affidavits to Delhi for submission to the Election Commission and to snatch the documents. He shared a post on social media claiming the incident and targeted Mamata Banerjee’s camp.
Taking a swipe over a chartered flight and the road route, Ritabrata claimed in his post that affidavits from Mamata Banerjee’s camp were sent to Delhi by chartered aircraft on the evening of October 25, while his workers had left by road with the documents from the morning of October 24. He alleged that an attempt was made to take control of the truck and snatch the papers, but his workers resisted it. Describing the dispute as “chartered culture versus grassroots struggle”, Ritabrata said their fight would continue. However, there has been no independent confirmation of his allegations about the truck being stopped and the documents being snatched.
Both TMC factions are staking claim to the party name and election symbol. Amid the dispute, the Election Commission has asked both sides to submit affidavits and additional documents as proof of their support. The Supreme Court on September 28 directed the Commission to settle the dispute within the prescribed timeframe. Mamata Banerjee’s camp had earlier alleged that the police and administration were being used to collect affidavits in favour of the rival faction. Ritabrata’s camp has described those allegations as political. A final decision on the claims of both sides will become clear only after the Election Commission’s process.
The deadline for submitting affidavits has been set as October 26. In this situation, the latest allegations over the documents could further intensify the confrontation between the two factions. For now, independent confirmation of Ritabrata’s claims and a response from the authorities concerned are awaited.
Hashtags: #NationalIndia #Bhopal #RitabrataBanerjee #TMC #MamataBanerjee #Affidavits #Truck #ElectionCommission #ElectionSymbolDispute #RitabrataAllegesBidTo
