'Vote theft, govt theft, now party theft': Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal slam EC over TMC symbol freeze

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its interim order freezing the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)'s name and "Flowers and Grass" election symbol.

Gandhi accused the BJP and the poll panel of working together to weaken opposition parties, calling "party theft" the latest sign of India's democratic decline.

The Congress leader's remarks came a day after the ECI barred rival factions of the Trinamool Congress from using the party's name and traditional election symbol until the leadership dispute is resolved.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also questioned the move, asking whether elections would be won "this way".

Rahul Gandhi calls out BJP-ECI 'pattern'

Gandhi alleged that the BJP and the ECI had followed a similar pattern in disputes involving Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and now 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. When an entire party can be stolen, it's hardly surprising that the votes of millions of Indians can be stolen too. Vote theft. Government theft. Now party theft—these have become symbols of our democratic decline," he said in a post on X.

The Congress leader further alleged that the ECI was failing to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect voters and was instead helping the BJP overturn election results.

"The ECI's constitutional responsibility is to protect the mandate—but instead, it's aiding those very forces that overturn the people's verdict. This fight isn't just Mamata Banerjee's. It's the fight of every political party, every voter who wants free and fair elections," he said.

Kejriwal questions EC order

Kejriwal also reacted to the ECI's decision ahead of the October 6 bypolls in West Bengal's Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly constituencies.

"Modi ji's birthday gift to the country. Will they win the election this way?" Kejriwal posted on X.

His remarks came amid the ongoing dispute between the two Trinamool Congress factions, both of which have fielded candidates for the upcoming bypolls while staking claim to the party's traditional name and symbol.

What the ECI said in its interim order

The ECI passed the interim order on Thursday after hearing the rival factions at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi and seeking their final submissions.

The Commission barred both groups from using the name "All India Trinamool Congress" or the party's "Flowers and Grass" symbol until the dispute is finally resolved under Para 15 of the Symbols Order.

The order stated: "Neither of the two groups led by Shri Arup Roy (Petitioner) and the other led by Ms Mamata Banerjee (Respondent) shall be permitted to use the name of the party 'All India Trinamool Congress '."

The ECI said the interim arrangement was intended "to place both the rival groups on even keel and to protect their rights and interests". The order will remain in force for the upcoming by-elections, pending a final decision on the leadership dispute.

The two factions have been directed to submit three preferred names by which their respective groups may be recognised, with or without reference to the parent party, by 11 am on September 18. They must also provide three preferred free symbols from the Commission's notified list, from which one symbol will be allotted to their candidates for the bypolls.

Nandigram, Rejinagar bypolls on October 6

The dispute comes ahead of the October 6 by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar, where both factions have fielded candidates.

The Nandigram seat fell vacant after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who retained Bhabanipur after defeating Mamata Banerjee in the 2026 Assembly elections, vacated the constituency.

The Rejinagar seat became vacant following the resignation of Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir, who had also won from Nowda.

Polling for both constituencies is scheduled for October 6, with counting set to take place on October 9.