TMC loses national party tag: TMC says mulling legal options against EC move
In its submission to the EC, the TMC said that after the amendment, a party's recognition as a national party depended on its performance in the “subsequent” general elections held after 2016.
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CM Mamata Banerjee in Howrah on Monday. (Express Photo) With the TMC on Monday losing the status of a national party, sources said the party was exploring legal options to challenge the Election Commission’s order.
The EC maintained that the party had fallen short of one state required to retain the status. The party was recognised as a national party on September 2, 2016, after the Election Commission amended the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. At that time, the TMC had the status of a state party in West Bengal, Manipur and Tripura.
However, as the amendment came into effect retrospectively from January 2014, the TMC “benefitted” from it as it got recognised as a state party even in Arunachal Pradesh, the EC said in its order issued on Monday.
The TMC’s status as a national party, which was notified in 2016, was made effective from January 1, 2014, according to the EC order disqualifying the TMC as a national party.
In its submission to the EC, the TMC said that after the amendment, a party’s recognition as a national party depended on its performance in the “subsequent” general elections held after 2016.
Accordingly, it was entitled to enjoy the status of a national party till the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party said. The TMC also argued that the amendment should not come into effect retrospectively, and hence it should be a national party till at least 2026. The EC, on the other hand, said the TMC’s interpretation was “erroneous”, underlining that the party had “ample opportunities” — as many as 21 state polls — till 2019 to meet the criteria to be a national party, but it could not.
Didi’s bid to expand TMC went haywire: BJP
The BJP on Monday said that TMC chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s aspiration to expand her party went haywire as people now know she runs the “most corrupt government”.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, “The TMC lost the national party status and will be recognised as a regional party. Today, they lost the national party status. In future, its fall from power is also certain as people of West Bengal will not tolerate this government for long.”
Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari wondered as when will the TMC stop using “All India” in its party name. The TMC did not respond to this even as a senior party leader said, “We are exploring legal options to challenge the EC decision.”
BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said, “The TMC went across the country by spending a lot of money to retain the national party status. But they failed. It was imminent because of the kind of government their party is running in West Bengal. They are terrorising people through violence and intimidation. This cannot get anyone the support of people in other states.”
CPIM leader Koustav Chatterjee said, “They may lose the national party status but nobody can snatch their “national thief” status.”
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