The Trinamool’s rebel faction claim on the party’s name and symbol are “fundamentally flawed, illegal and not substantiated by the party constitution”, the Mamata Banerjee-led group informed the Election Commission on Monday.

The Election Commission on Thursday had asked both the factions of the Trinamool Congress to submit their responses to the claims and counter claims on the organisation.

“The elections of all the office-bearers including the Chairman are all illegal,” the 14-page letter stated.

Responding to the Election Commission, a letter signed by Mamata Banerjee as the chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress was sent to Nirvachan Sadan.

Over a month since the Trinamool Congress imploded after its electoral defeat, the battle over the party’s symbol, name along with the funds and assets is pending with the Election Commission, the sole authority to decide on disputes between two factions of a political party.

On June 22, the rebel faction-led by leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly Ritabrata Banerjee held a session where Mamata, the founder-chairperson of the Trinamool Congress was replaced by her one-time loyalist and Howrah Madhya MLA Arup Roy.

The rebels – around 65 MLAs in the Bengal Assembly and some of former Mamata-loyalists- had claimed that the tenure of the previous panel registered on February 12, 2022 had expired on February 11, 2025.

“It is incorrect that the tenure ended on February 11, 2025. Such date is imaginary,” reads the letter. “Under Clause XIX(a) (of the party’s constitution), the tenure of the All India Trinamool committee and the national working committee is for a period of five years.”

The letter stated that the party constitution was amended once before 2006 to increase the tenure of the committee from three years to four years. On January 9, 2006 the decision to amend the constitution again an increase the tenure to five years was taken.

The letter also said the decision to extend the tenure was taken at the party’s annual general conference held in East Midnapore’s Contai on January 23, 2005.

In the meeting held on June 22, two of Mamata’s closest aides – Aroop Biswas and Firhad Hakim, both former ministers – were made vice-presidents, along with another former minister, Rathin Ghosh. Ritabrata and fellow rebel MLAs, Javed Ahmed Khan, Sandipan Sahaand Sabina Yeasmin were appointed general secretaries, while another MLA Akhruzzaman was announced treasurer.

On Saturday Mamata had announced she would also handle the responsibilities of the state unit of the Trinamool after the hurried departure of another loyalist, Chandrima Bhattacharya, who was made state president of the party barely a month ago.

The letter stated the last time when the organisational elections took place, Ritabrata and many other rebels were not even members of the committees.

The Mamata-led faction stated a plenary session of the party was held every three year and a special session of the party can be held only if the AITC committee decides.

“No attempt was made by the complainant for holding elections to the AITC committee with sufficient notice to the electorate. Not a single MP of the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha was notified of such a meeting. The present chairperson and office-bearers were also not informed of such a meeting,” the letter stated.

Like with the legislators in the Bengal Assembly, at least 20 of the 28 Lok Sabha MPs elected on a Trinamool symbol have joined a little-known party the Nationalist Citizens Party of India and announced themselves a part of the BJP-led NDA. Three of the 13 Rajya Sabha MPs have also resigned.

Mamata stressed on a point that her loyalists have been saying for almost a month: the nomination papers of the rebel MLAs were signed by Mamata and countersigned by Abhishek Banerjee, the all-India general secretary of the party.

“Having taken advantage (of the signature of Mamata as chairperson), they cannot claim that Mamata Banerjee is not the chairperson. Ritabrata Banerjee and other alleged office-bearers have also beneficiaries of the signatures of the chairperson,” the letter stated.