New Delhi, September 18 (Daily Kiran) : Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP, has expressed strong disapproval regarding the Election Commission‘s decision to freeze the name and symbol of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He stated that the issues of vote theft, government theft, and now party theft symbolize the decline of democracy in India.
In a post on the social media platform ‘X’ on Friday morning, Gandhi remarked, “First it was Shiv Sena, then NCP, and now TMC. The same pattern persists: the BJP and the Election Commission collaborate to dismantle a party, subsequently seizing its electoral symbol.”
He further noted, “If an entire party can be stolen, it’s not surprising that millions of Indian votes can be compromised. Vote theft. Government theft. Now, party theft. These are symbols of our democratic decline.”
Gandhi also launched an attack on the Election Commission, asserting that its constitutional duty is to protect the mandate of the people. Instead, he accused it of assisting forces that overturn the public’s decisions. “This battle is not just for Mamata Banerjee; it is a struggle for every political party and every voter who desires free and fair elections,” he added.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered the freezing of the TMC’s name and electoral symbol for both factions until a final decision is made. This means that neither the faction led by Mamata Banerjee nor the one led by Ritabrata Banerjee can use the TMC name or symbol in upcoming elections.
The TMC has been divided into two factions following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections held in April. The dispute began over the selection of the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, leading to around 58 of the party’s 80 legislators aligning with the dissident faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. This number exceeds the two-thirds majority required under anti-defection laws.
As a result, the TMC is now split, with both factions claiming the party name and symbol, while the Election Commission has frozen them for the time being.
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