The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday stepped into the escalating battle for control of the All-India Trinamool Congress (TMC), issuing notices to former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and rebel faction leader Ritabrata Banerjee over claims relating to the party’s organisational elections, authorised signatories, and the ownership of its election symbol.In separate letters, the commission sought responses from both Mamata and Ritabrata by 5.30 pm on July 6, following competing representations made by the two sides.The development came after a delegation of the rebel group, led by Ritabrata, met the EC in New Delhi on Thursday. Describing the meeting as “satisfactory”, the rebel faction leader said the delegation had placed all its arguments before the commission, including its claim to the Trinamool Congress’ election symbol.Claiming that his group represented the “real” Trinamool Congress, Ritabrata asserted that the rebel camp enjoyed the support of a two-thirds majority within the party.The claims, however, were firmly rejected by Mamata loyalists.Senior TMC leaders Saugata Roy and Sagarika Ghosh dismissed the gathering of rebel leaders as an unofficial group that did not constitute a faction within the Trinamool Congress.Addressing the media, Ghosh said the group’s “self-appointed leader” had already been expelled from the party, rejecting its claim to represent the TMC or stake a claim to its election symbol.Ghosh, while accusing the BJP and Home Minister Amit Shah of running the Election Commission, said “only designated signatories of political parties can meet EC officials, but expelled party leader and others met the EC”.The Rajya Sabha MP alleged that the TMC had not sent any letter seeking a meeting with the Election Commission, yet a group led by a person expelled from the party was allowed to meet the full Bench.She questioned how this was permitted despite the Commission’s own rules, and described the development as unprecedented and unconstitutional.Roy, too, questioned the EC’s decision to meet Ritabrata, saying the poll panel had earlier informed all political parties that only authorised signatories could seek an appointment. He said the AITC had not sought a meeting and asked on what basis the commission had granted an appointment to a person who had been expelled from the party.