Trinamool Congress: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Political party in India}}

{{Use Indian English|date=September 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

|logo              = All India Trinamool Congress current logo.svg

|abbreviation      = AITC, TMC

|chairman          = [[Mamata Banerjee]]<br />{{small|([[List of chief ministers of West Bengal|Chief Minister of West Bengal]])}}

|foundation        = {{Start date and age|df=yes|p=y|1998|1|1}}

|youth            = Trinamool Youth Congress

|women            = Trinamool Mahila Congress

|peasants          = Trinamool Kisan Khet Majdur Congress

|ideology         = {{ubl|class=nowrap|

|[[Bengali nationalism]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Bengali pride,sub-nationalism emerge as rallying points in West Bengal assembly polls |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/bengali-pride-sub-nationalism-emerge-as-rallying-points-in-west-bengal-assembly-polls-965345.html |newspaper=[[Deccan Herald]] |date=23 March 2021 |quote="This is for the first time we have made Bengali pride our main poll plank. Bengali pride is not just about Bengalis; it appeals to all sons of the soil," senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy told PTI."}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Bengali card: Is Mamata trying to give TMC a new ideological core?|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/news-analysis/story/mamata-banerjee-bengal-polls-tmc-bjp-outsiders-1743885-2020-11-25|work=[[India Today]]|date=26 November 2020|quote=The TMC has decided to counter the BJP's Hindutva majoritarian politics by invoking Bengali sub-nationalism ahead of the State Assembly polls. With Mamata Banerjee setting the tone herself, TMC leaders have started attacking the BJP as a party of 'outsiders' trying to mount an assault on Bengalis.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=In Bengal, speak Bengali: Squeezed by BJP's Hindutva, Mamata Banerjee grasps at Bengali nationalism|url=https://scroll.in/article/927157/in-bengal-speak-bengali-squeezed-by-bjps-hindutva-mamata-banerjee-grasps-at-bengali-nationalism|work=[[Scroll.in]]|date=26 June 2019|quote=These crises pushed the Trinamool to declare its Bengali nativist line even more vociferously, hoping that this new narrative will break the party's free fall.}}</ref>

|[[Liberalism]]<ref>{{cite news|title=From Liberalism To Secularism, the Battle for Bengal Has Just Begun |url=https://thewire.in/politics/west-bengal-assembly-elections-mamata-tmc-bjp-secularism|date=28 March 2021|author=[[Jawhar Sircar]]|work=[[The Wire (India)|The Wire]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ir.nbu.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/3867/1/Vol.%2012%2C%20March-October%202016_07.pdf|title=Trinamool, Politics and Poribarton Comprehending the Ideological Connection|access-date=14 April 2012|last=Howladar|first=Sumit|publisher=[[University of North Bengal]]}}</ref>  

|[[Progressivism]]<ref>{{cite news|title='India's soul at stake': Bengalis vote in divisive election|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/26/india-soul-at-stake-west-bengalis-vote-in-divisive-election-modi-bjp|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=26 March 2021|quote=The TMC has implemented a progressive development agenda, but it has also been mired in accusations of corruption and thuggery.}}</ref>

|[[Secularism]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Secular ideals of Indira Gandhi is more relevant today:TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee |url=https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/secular-ideals-of-indira-gandhi-more-relevant-today-tmc-leader-subrata-mukherjee/articleshow/45203010.cms|work=[[The Economic Times]]}}</ref>

|[[Populism]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Bhaumik |first=Subir |date=13 May 2011 |title=Defeat rocks India's elected communists – Features |work=[[Al Jazeera English]] |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/05/2011513143311330487.html |url-status=dead |access-date=16 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005063541/http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/05/2011513143311330487.html |archive-date=5 October 2011 |quote=The Congress alliance, led by populist Mamata Banerji, has won elections in the West Bengal state assembly.}}</ref>  

|position          = {{nowrap|[[Centrism|Centre]]<ref name="tmc_2">

* {{cite journal|last1=Banerjee|first1=Vasabjit|last2=Bhattacharya|first2=Srobana|last3=Jha|first3=Anand|date=3 July 2017|title=Inequality and Elections: The Nationwide Origins and State-Level Dynamics of India's Maoist Insurgency|journal=Asian Affairs: An American Review|volume=44|issue=3|pages=72–97|doi=10.1080/00927678.2017.1357347|s2cid=158695181|issn=0092-7678|doi-access=free}}

* {{cite journal|last=Ghosh|first=Gautam|date=2015|title=An 'infiltration' of time? Hindu Chauvinism and Bangladeshi migration in/to Kolkata, India|url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=289519|journal=Journal of Comparative Research in Anthropology and Sociology|volume=6|issue=1|pages=263–288|issn=2068-0317}}</ref> to [[centre-right]]<ref>{{cite journal|last=Ghosh|first=Pujya|date=1 June 2020|title=From Revolution to Dissent: A Case Study of the Changing Role of Theatre and Activism in Bengal|url=https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004430990/BP000005.xml|journal=World Political Theatre and Performance|pages=39–52|doi=10.1163/9789004430990_005|isbn=9789004430990|s2cid=225711782}}</ref>|eci=}}

|eci              = [[List of political parties in India#State parties|State Party]]<ref>{{cite web|title=NCP, TMC and CPI lose national party status, AAP earns coveted tag Dated 10.04.2023|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/election-commission-withdraws-national-party-status-of-tmc-cpi-2358245-2023-04-10|publisher=India Today|access-date=10 April 2023|location=India|year=2013}}</ref>

|colours          = {{Color box|{{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}}} [[Azure (color)|Green]]

|alliance          = [[National Democratic Alliance]] (1998–2006) <br/>[[United Progressive Alliance]] (2009–2012)<br/>[[Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance]] (2023–Present)

|state_seats      = {{Composition bar|226|4036|hex= {{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}}}

{{hidden

|

{{Composition bar|220|294|hex={{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}}} ([[West Bengal Legislative Assembly]])

{{composition bar|5|60|hex= {{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}}} ([[Meghalaya Legislative Assembly]])

{{composition bar|1|60|hex= {{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}}} ([[Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly]])

|website          = {{URL|http://aitcofficial.org/}}

 

The '''All India Trinamool Congress''' ({{translation|All India Grassroots Congress}}; {{small|abbr.}} '''AITC''') is an [[India|Indian]] [[political party]] that is mainly influential in the [[Federated state|state]] of [[West Bengal]].<ref name="LS2014">{{cite web|date=10 April 2014|editor-last=Subramonian|editor-first=Surabhi|title=Lok Sabha Elections 2014: Know your party symbols!|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-lok-sabha-elections-2014-know-your-party-symbols-1974606 |work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]}}</ref> It was founded by [[Mamata Banerjee]] on 1 January 1998 as a [[List of Indian National Congress breakaway parties|breakaway faction from the Indian National Congress]] and rapidly rose to prominence in the [[politics of West Bengal]] under her leadership. Presently, it is ruling the state of [[West Bengal]] beside being the third-largest party in India in terms of number of [[Member of Parliament (India)|MPs]] and [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLAs]], just after [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] and [[Indian National Congress|INC]].

 

The party won a historic victory in the [[2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election]] by defeating the 34-year-long [[Left Front (West Bengal)|Left Front]] rule, world's longest democratically elected communist government. It has won a three-time majority in the [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly]] and has been the ruling party in West Bengal since 20 May 2011. AITC is led by Mamata Banerjee as the chairperson of the party.

After being a member of the [[Indian National Congress]] (INC) for over 26 years, [[Mamata Banerjee]] quit the INC and established the TMC in 1998. The official election symbol of the TMC is ''Jora Ghas Phul'' (two flowers with grass). In the 1998 Lok Sabha polls, TMC won 7 seats. In the next Lok Sabha election that was held in 1999, Trinamool Congress won 8 seats with BJP, thus increasing its tally by one.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/SR_KeyHighLights/LS_1999/Vol_I_LS_99.pdf|title=Statistical Report on General Elections, 1999 to the 13th Lok Sabha|publisher=Election Commission of India}}</ref> In 2000, TMC won the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Elections.<ref>{{cite news|date=13 May 2011|title=The fall and rise of Trinamool Congress|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/latest-news/the-fall-and-rise-of-trinamool-congress/|access-date=11 December 2021|work=The Indian Express}}</ref>

The party initially joined the [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA), as part of the [[Vajpayee government]], and was initially quite successful, winning 7 seats in its [[1998 Indian general election|first election in 1998]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/SR_KeyHighLights/LS_1998/Vol_I_LS_98.pdf |title=Statistical Report on General Elections, 1998 to the 12th Lok Sabha |publisher=Election Commission of India}}</ref><ref name="IndiaToday">{{cite news |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/story/trinamool-congress-chief-mamata-banerjee-a-profile/1/138015.html |title=Mamata, the street-fighting politician and Left nemesis |work=[[India Today]] |date=13 May 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518043559/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/story/trinamool-congress-chief-mamata-banerjee-a-profile/1/138015.html |archive-date=18 May 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> In the 2001 Vidhan Sabha elections, the TMC won 60 seats in alliance with the INC, becoming the principal opposition party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/SR_KeyHighLights/SE_2001/StatRept_WB_2001.pdf|title=Key Highlights of General Election, 2001 to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal |publisher=Election Commission of India}}</ref> They suffered big losses in the [[2004 Indian general election|2004 Lok Sabha elections]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/SR_KeyHighLights/LS_2004/Vol_I_LS_2004.pdf |title=Statistical Report on General Elections, 2004 to the 14th Lok Sabha|publisher=Election Commission of India}}</ref> and the [[2006 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election]],<ref name="IndiaToday" /><ref>{{cite news |date=14 May 2004 |title=Why did the NDA lose West Bengal? |website=Rediff |agency=PTI |url=https://www.rediff.com/election/2004/may/14mamata.htm|access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref> and subsequently left the NDA.

In December 2006, the people of [[Nandigram]] were given notice by Haldia Development Authority that a major portion of Nandigram would be seized and 70,000 people be evicted from their homes to make way for a chemical plant.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iacboston.org/india/1207-nandigram-says-no.html|work=International Action Center – Boston|title=Nandigram says 'No!' to Dow's chemical hub|date=December 2007|access-date=27 December 2009|archive-date=6 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706032521/http://www.iacboston.org/india/1207-nandigram-says-no.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> People started movement against this land acquisition and the TMC helped lead the movement. The [[Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee|Bhumi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee]] ('Committee against Land Evictions'; BUPC) was formed to protest against the eviction. On 14 March 2007 the police opened fire and killed 14 villagers and many more went missing. Many sources claimed (and which was supported by the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] in its report) that armed [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] cadres, along with police, fired on protesters in Nandigram<ref>{{cite web|last=Sarin|first=Ritu|date=19 December 2007|title=CPM cadres joined cops to fire, now beating up witnesses: CBI|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/cpm-cadres-joined-cops-to-fire-now-beating-up-witnesses-cbi/251917/0 |access-date=4 December 2021|newspaper=Indian Express}}</ref> Many intellectuals protested in the streets and this incident gave birth to a new movement. [[Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)]] leader Nanda Patra led the movement. The events led to a significant backlash against the CPI(M) government, and were a major factor in the TMC's success in the elections that followed.<ref name="aljaz">{{Cite news |last=Bhaumik |first=Subir |date=13 May 2011 |title=Defeat rocks India's elected communists – Features |work=[[Al Jazeera English]] |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/05/2011513143311330487.html |url-status=dead |access-date=16 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005063541/http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/05/2011513143311330487.html |archive-date=5 October 2011}}</ref>

In the [[2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election]], the TMC-led alliance that included the [[Indian National Congress|INC]] and [[Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)|SUCI(C)]] won 227 seats in the 294-seat legislature, defeating the incumbent [[Left Front (West Bengal)|Left Front]] government which had been in power for 34 years.<ref name="forbes">{{cite web|work=[[Forbes]]|title=The Anti-Communist of West Bengal|url=https://www.forbes.com/2011/04/14/forbes-india-trinamool-congress-didi-banerjee-at-gates.html#4b8299546c90|access-date=18 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bardhan|first=Pranab|date=11 February 2012|title=Why the Left Front Lost West Bengal: Poor Governance or Enhanced Accountability Standards?|url=https://www.theigc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Bardhan-Et-Al-2012-Working-Paper.pdf|journal=International Growth Centre|volume=1|pages=41}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=13 May 2011|title=Mamata ends 34-year-old Left Front rule in Bengal|work=The Hindu Business Line|agency=PTI|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/policy/mamata-ends-34-year-old-left-front-rule-in-bengal/article23047550.ece|access-date=13 May 2011}}</ref> TMC alone won 184 seats, enabling it to govern without an alliance. Subsequently, it won a by-election in [[Basirhat]] and two Congress MLAs switched to the TMC, giving it a total of 187 seats. Banerjee, an [[Member of the Lok Sabha|MP]] at the time, had not contested the election and had to transfer to the safe seat of [[Bhabanipur, West Bengal Assembly constituency|Bhabanipur]].<ref name="vidhansabha2011by">{{cite web|date=28 September 2011|title=Mamata Banerjee wins assembly bypoll|url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/current-affairs/mamata-banerjee-wins-assembly-bypoll_591641.html |access-date=28 September 2011|website=Moneycontrol}}</ref>

The [[2014 Indian general election|2014 Lok Sabha elections]] saw the TMC dominate the state, winning 34 out of the 42 seats. It also qualified for national party status, as the TMC had received 6% of the vote from five different states ([[West Bengal]], [[Manipur]], [[Tripura]], [[Jharkhand]] and [[Assam]]).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/statistical_reportge2014.aspx/ | website=Election Commission of India | title=Archive of General Election 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318025154/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/statistical_reportge2014.aspx/ | archive-date=18 March 2015}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=2 September 2016|title=Trinamool Congress recognised as national party|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|agency=PTI|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Trinamool-Congress-recognised-as-national-party/article14620149.ece|url-access=subscription|access-date=6 December 2021|issn=0971-751X|quote=It is a recognised State party in West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh, satisfying one of the conditions of the Election Commission.}}</ref> On 2 September 2016 the [[Election Commission of India|Election Commission]] recognized TMC as a national political party.<ref name=":3">{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/trinamool-congress-tmc-national-party-status-election-commission-3010274/|title=Trinamool Congress gets national party status|newspaper=Indian Express|date=2 September 2016}}</ref>

The party won the most seats in West Bengal in the [[2019 Indian general election]], but suffered significant losses to the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], which for the first time established itself as a major force in the state.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bose|first=Pratim Ranjan|date=23 May 2019|title=Election results 2019: Bengal votes for the BJP, breaks many stereotypes|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/elections/election-results-2019-bengal-votes-for-the-bjpbreaks-many-stereotypes/article27216896.ece |access-date=6 December 2021|website=The Hindu BusinessLine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Chatterjee|first=Ahana|date=23 May 2019|title=WB Election Result Highlights: BJP creates history in Bengal|url=https://www.livemint.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections/west-bengal-results-2019-live-updates-mamata-banerjee-tmc-narendra-modi-bjp-1558573084174.html |access-date=6 December 2021|website=Livemint}}</ref> After the election, the party's status came under revision by the [[Election Commission of India]], due to a loss in presence in most states outside West Bengal.<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.news18.com/news/politics/how-have-trinamool-cpi-ncp-failed-to-meet-national-party-status-while-npp-makes-it-an-explainer-2239173.html|title =Why Did TMC, CPI, NCP Fail to Meet National Party Status When NPP Made It? An Explainer|publisher =[[Network 18]]|quote =Due to several political developments over the past few years, the EC wants the three political parties to respond on why their 'national party' status should not be taken away.|location =Kolkata|date =20 July 2019|website =News18.com|author =Sujit Nath|access-date =11 May 2020}}</ref>

Banerjee's government was reelected again in the [[2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|2021 state election]] by an unexpectedly large margin over the BJP. Prior to the election, several high-profile TMC members such as [[Mukul Roy]] and [[Suvendu Adhikari]] had defected to the BJP. Despite the large winning margin, Banerjee was defeated by Adhikari in the [[Nandigram (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Nandigram seat]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Election Commission of India|url=https://results.eci.gov.in/Result2021/ConstituencywiseS25210.htm?ac=210|access-date=2 May 2021|website=results.eci.gov.in|archive-date=3 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503202328/https://results.eci.gov.in/Result2021/ConstituencywiseS25210.htm?ac=210|url-status=dead}}</ref> where she had transferred to fight Adhikari head-on.<ref name="theguardian">{{cite news|last1=Ellis-Petersen|first1=Hannah|last2=Rahman|first2=Shaikh Azizur|date=26 March 2021|title='India's soul at stake': Bengalis vote in divisive election|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/26/india-soul-at-stake-west-bengalis-vote-in-divisive-election-modi-bjp}}</ref>

In the 2001 Assam Legislative Assembly election, [[Jamal Uddin Ahmed (MLA)|Jamal Uddin Ahmed]] won [[Badarpur (Assam Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Badarpur constituency]]. He was a Trinamool Congress candidate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/assam/assembly-constituencies/2001-election-results.html|title=Assam Assembly Election Results in 2001|website=www.elections.in}}</ref> Since then, the party has not emphasized on any other organization.{{Incomprehensible inline|date=November 2021}} Later in 2018, the work of the organization started again under the leadership of M. Shanti Kumar Singha. In the 2021 assembly elections, it was decided to field candidates from 14 constituencies on behalf of the party.

All-India president of [[Indian National Congress|Congress]]'s women's wing and its national spokesperson and former [[Silchar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Silchar]] MP [[Sushmita Dev]] joined the Trinamool Congress in August 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sushmita-dev-former-congress-mp-joins-trinamool-as-mamata-expands-base-101629105024017.html|title=Sushmita Dev, former Congress MP, joins Trinamool as Mamata expands base|work=Hindustan Times|date=16 August 2021}}</ref> She is now an MP of Rajya Sabha.

On 23 November 2021 [[Ashok Tanwar]], former president of [[Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee]], joined TMC.<ref name=TOI /><ref name=Frontline /><ref name=Free /> [[Sukhendu Shekhar Roy]] was appointed as in-charge of the party's [[Haryana]] unit on 25 November.<ref>{{cite web|date=25 November 2021|title=Sukhendu Sekhar Roy appointed Trinamool's Haryana unit in-charge|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/sukhendu-sekhar-roy-appointed-trinamools-haryana-unit-in-charge20211125230932|work=ANI|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref>

Kerala Pradesh Trinamool Congress was launched in 2009. In 2014 its candidates contested 5 seats under the party symbol in the [[2014 Indian general election in Kerala|parliamentary election]]. Leaders like [[Mukul Roy]], [[Derek O'Brien (politician)|Derek O'Brien]], Mahua Moitra and [[Nadimul Haque]] visited [[Kerala]] and gave directions for further development in the party's activities. In the [[2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|2016 state election]] TMC contested in 70 assembly constituencies but due to technical errors, the party symbol was not accepted. On 3 August 2021 a 51-member state committee was formed and hoardings with caption ''"Call Didi Save Democracy "'' were spread in parts of the state.<ref>{{cite web|date=5 August 2021|title=Kerala TMC: 'ভারত বাঁচাতে দিদিকে চাই,' বাম শাসিত কেরলে নতুন করে যাত্রা তৃণমূলের|url=https://zeenews.india.com/bengali/nation/call-didi-save-india-poster-by-tmc-in-left-ruled-kerala_396667.html|work=Zee 24 Ghanta|language=bn|access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=6 August 2021|title='ভারত বাঁচাতে দিদিকে চাই', Mamata Banerjee-র ছবি দেওয়া হোর্ডিং এবার কেরলে|url=https://www.sangbadpratidin.in/india/call-didi-save-india-new-hording-seen-at-ernakulam-kerala-in-support-of-mamata-banerjee/|work=Sangbad Pratidin|language=bn|access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=7 August 2021|title='Call Didi, Save India': After Tamil Nadu, Mamata's Posters in Left Bastion Kerala|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/call-didi-save-india-after-tamil-nadu-now-kerala-mamatas-posters-spreading-fast-in-south-4056650.html|work=News18|access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=7 August 2021|title="Call Didi Save India, Delhi Chalo" posters featuring Mamata Banerjee's face in Kerala|url=https://english.natungati.in/call-didi-save-india-delhi-chalo-posters-featuring-mamata-banerjees-face-in-kerala/|work=Natun Gati|access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref>

In the [[2012 Manipur Legislative Assembly election|2012 assembly elections]] of [[Manipur]], the party won 8 seats and got 10% of the total votes. It became the only opposition party in the [[Manipur Legislative Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=17 August 2018|title=Statistical Report on General Election, 2012 to the Legislative Assembly of Manipur|url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/3712-manipur-2012/ |access-date=29 November 2020|website=Election Commission of India|language=en-IN}}</ref> In the 2017 assembly elections the party won only one seat (from [[Thanga (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Thanga]]) and received 5.4% of the total votes cast in the elections.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ceomanipur.nic.in/magazine/2019/gels/CEO%20Report%202019%20.pdf |title= Report – General Election to Lok Sabha, 2019|website=ceomanipur.nic.in |date= |author=Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur |access-date= 27 December 2020}}</ref> Its lone member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Tongbram Robindro Singh, switched to the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] government in [[Manipur]] in 2017. As of 18 June 2020, he has withdrawn support from the BJP, following the disqualification of 7 of its members, to support the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=1 June 2020|title=Mess in Manipur|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/manipur-bjp-government-no-confidence-motion-congress-mlas-6465601/|website=[[The Indian Express]]|language=en}}</ref>

The party's [[Meghalaya]] unit was launched in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 November 2021|title=Meghalaya: 12 of 17 Congress MLAs, Led By Ex CM Mukul Sangma, Jump Ship to TMC|url=https://thewire.in/politics/meghalaya-12-of-17-congress-mlas-led-by-ex-cm-mukul-sangma-jump-ship-to-tmc|work=The Wire|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=25 November 2021|title='Not Effective Opposition': Meghalaya MLAs On Why They Left Congress|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/not-effective-opposition-meghalaya-mlas-on-why-they-left-congress-joined-trinamool-congress-2624123|work=NDTV|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref>

On 24 November 2021 former [[List of chief ministers of Meghalaya|Chief Minister of Meghalaya]] [[Mukul Sangma]] along with other 11 MLAs of INC joined TMC which made TMC the largest opposition party in [[Meghalaya Legislative Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=24 November 2021|title=Ex-Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma Joins TMC With 12 MLAs; Trinamool Now Main Oppn in State|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/ex-meghalaya-cm-mukul-sangma-joins-tmc-with-12-mlas-trinamool-now-main-oppn-in-state-4483196.html|work=News18|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=24 November 2021|title=Meghalaya: In massive jolt to Congress, former CM Mukul Sangma, 11 other MLAs join TMC|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/former-meghalaya-cm-mukul-sangma-11-others-join-trinamool-congress-1880464-2021-11-24|work=India Today|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=25 November 2021|title=Mukul Sangma, 11 Congress MLAs join Trinamool|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/mukul-sangma-11-congress-mlas-join-trinamool/article37674046.ece|work=The Hindu|access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=26 November 2021|title=Congress mulls legal action as 12 MLAs join TMC, make it main opposition in Meghalaya|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shillong/congress-mulls-legal-action-as-12-mlas-join-tmc-make-it-main-opposition-in-meghalaya/articleshow/87919280.cms|access-date=29 November 2021|work=The Times of India}}</ref>

On 29 November [[Charles Pyngrope]] was appointed as the president of AITC Meghalaya unit.<ref>{{cite web|date=30 November 2021|title=Charles Pyngrope appointed as Meghalaya TMC president|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/charles-pyngrope-appointed-as-meghalaya-tmc-president20211130071036|work=ANI|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref>

In 2022, one defected MLA who has earlier switched from INC quit the party and joined BJP.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-16 |title=In Meghalaya ruling alliance slugfest, BJP draws first blood; takes in two NPP MLAs |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/meghalaya-ruling-alliance-slugfest-bjp-takes-two-npp-mlas-8328224/ |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

TMC won one seat in Ambassa Municipal council in the [[2021 Tripura local elections|2021 Tripura civic polls]] despite widespread violence. TMC emerged as the second largest party in terms of vote-share in the 120 seats it contested out of 334 seats as it garnered 19.9% of the votes in those seats.<ref>{{Cite web|date=9 December 2021|title=Not BJP or TMC, the real story of Tripura's civic poll numbers was near-decimation of Congress|url=https://theprint.in/politics/not-bjp-or-tmc-the-real-story-of-tripuras-civic-poll-numbers-was-near-decimation-of-congress/778485/|work=The Print|access-date=13 December 2021}}</ref>

The party's state unit in [[Uttar Pradesh]] was set up in 2005.<ref name=dtnext>{{cite web|date=28 May 2021|title=TMC keen to join farmers' protest, eyes 2024 polls|url=https://www.dtnext.in/News/National/2021/05/28144620/1297220/TMC-keen-to-join-farmers-protest-eyes-2024-polls.vpf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130212848/https://www.dtnext.in/News/National/2021/05/28144620/1297220/TMC-keen-to-join-farmers-protest-eyes-2024-polls.vpf|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 November 2021|work=DTNext.in|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref>

In 2012, [[Shyam Sunder Sharma]] contested the by-poll to [[Mant (Assembly constituency)|Mant constituency]] and won on a TMC ticket.<ref>{{cite web|title=Uttar Pradesh 2012 – Uttar Pradesh – Election Commission of India|date=14 August 2018 |url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/3262-uttar-pradesh-2012/|access-date=3 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Trinamool-Congress-to-expand-base-in-Uttar-Pradesh/articleshow/15534104.cms|title=Trinamool Congress to expand base in Uttar Pradesh|work=The Times of India| date=17 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=UP Election Assembly Results 2012 {{!}} Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Election Results 2012|url=https://www.elections.in/uttar-pradesh/assembly-constituencies/2012-election-results.html|access-date=4 September 2021}}</ref> He later defected to [[Bahujan Samaj Party|BSP]].<ref>{{cite web|date=4 January 2016|title=MLA SS Sharma charged with forgery, fraud|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/MLA-SS-Sharma-charged-with-forgery-fraud/articleshow/50443268.cms|work=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=25 June 2016|title=Lone TMC MLA in UP joins BSP|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/lone-tmc-mla-in-up-joins-bsp-116062500882_1.html|work=Business Standard|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref>

Neeraj Rai is the current president of TMC's state unit in Uttar Pradesh.<ref>{{cite web|date=31 March 2021|title=UP's Purvanchal has a key role to play in Bengal polls|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/ups-purvanchal-has-a-key-role-to-play-in-bengal-polls/articleshow/81769237.cms|work=The Times of India|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref><ref name=dtnext /><ref>{{cite web|date=21 June 2021|title=Uttar Pradesh TMC to follow West Bengal model|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/up-tmc-to-follow-w-bengal-model/articleshow/83700999.cms|work=The Times of India|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=14 August 2021|title=No Permission to Khela Hobe Diwas in Uttar Pradesh, Says TMC|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/no-permission-to-khela-hobe-diwas-in-uttar-pradesh-says-tmc-4083899.html|work=News18|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=12 September 2021|title=TMC and Samajwadi Party expected to form alliance for 2022 assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/tmc-and-samajwadi-party-expected-to-form-alliance-for-2022-assembly-polls-in-uttar-pradesh|work=The Free Press Journal|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=14 October 2021|title=जब कोर्ट का डंडा चलता है,तब होती हैं कार्यवाही -नीरज राय|url=https://www.patrika.com/lucknow-news/trinamool-congress-state-president-neeraj-rai-held-a-press-conference-7122161/|work=Patrika|language=hi|access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref>

In October 2021, two senior Congress leaders of [[Uttar Pradesh]] – Rajeshpati Tripathi and Laliteshpati Tripathi, who are the grandson and the great-grandson of [[List of chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh|former UP Chief Minister]] [[Kamalapati Tripathi]], joined the TMC in the presence of Mamata Banerjee.<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 October 2021|title=Two UP Congress Leaders Join Trinamool In Mamata Banerjee's Presence|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/two-uttar-pradesh-congress-leaders-join-trinamool-congress-tmc-in-west-bengal-chief-minister-mamata-banerjees-presence-2587380|work=NDTV|access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=26 October 2021|title=UP 2022 Assembly polls: Ex-Congress leaders join TMC|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/up-2022-assembly-polls-ex-congress-leaders-join-tmc-7590745/|work=The Indian Express|access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=26 October 2021|title=নভেম্বরেই যোগীর গড়ে হানা মমতার {{!}} ইন্দিরা-ঘনিষ্ঠ কমলাপতি ত্রিপাঠির নাতির তৃণমূলে যোগ|url=https://bartamanpatrika.com/detailNews.php?cID=14&nID=326148&P=1&nPID=20211026|newspaper=Bartaman|language=bn|access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=26 October 2021|title=UP Congress Leaders Join TMC, Mamata Says Will Visit Varanasi Soon|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/up-congress-leaders-join-tmc-mamata-says-will-visit-varanasi-soon-4364663.html|work=News18|access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref>

! Style="background-color:{{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}; color:white" | Seats<br />contested

! Style="background-color:{{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}; color:white" | Seats won<br />(in state)

! Style="background-color:{{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}; color:white" | Vote %<br />(in whole country)

|<ref name="ECI2009">{{cite web | url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/archiveofge2009/Stats/VOLI/12_PerformanceOfNationalParties.pdf | title=LS 2009: Performance of National Parties | work=[[Election Commission of India]] | access-date=18 October 2014 | archive-date=9 December 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209173959/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/archiveofge2009/Stats/VOLI/12_PerformanceOfNationalParties.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

|<ref name="ECI2014">{{cite web | url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/archiveofge2014/4%20-%20List%20of%20Successful%20Candidates.pdf | title=LS 2014: List of successful candidates | work=[[Election Commission of India]] | access-date=18 October 2014 | pages=93 | archive-date=24 October 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024141309/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/archiveofge2014/4%20-%20List%20of%20Successful%20Candidates.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

|<ref name="ECI2019">{{cite web | url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/10987-4-list-of-successful-candidate | title=LS 2019: List of successful candidates | work=[[Election Commission of India]] | date=11 October 2019 | access-date=11 October 2019}}</ref>

=== State Legislative Assembly elections ===

|+'''Legislative Assembly elections'''<ref name="WB_Results">{{cite web | url=https://eci.gov.in/files/category/94-west-bengal/ | title=West Bengal Assembly Election Results | work=[[Election Commission of India]] | access-date=11 October 2019}}</ref>

! Style="background-color:{{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}; color:white" | Seats<br />contested

! Style="background-color:{{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}; color:white" | Percentage<br />of votes

!colspan=9|[[Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly]]

|[[2009 Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election|2009]]

|

|{{Composition bar|5|60|{{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}}}

|{{increase}} 5

|15.04%

|86,406

| style="background:#FA07A;"| Others

|- style="text-align:center;"

!colspan=9|[[Assam Legislative Assembly]]

|[[2001 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2001]]<ref>{{cite web|date=20 August 2018|title=Assam 2001|url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/4007-assam-2001/|work=Election Commission of India|access-date=12 December 2021}}</ref>

|[[2011 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2011]]

|

|126

|{{Composition bar|1|126|{{party color|All India Trinamool Congress}}}}

|{{steady}}

|2.05%

| –

|283,683

| style="background:#FA07A;"| Others

!colspan=9|[[Manipur Legislative Assembly]]

|-style="text-align:center;"

|[[2012 Manipur Legislative Assembly election|2012]]

|[[2012 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election|2012]] ([[By-election]])

|[[2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|2016]]

|[[2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|2021]]

{{Further|Ma Mati Manush|Joy Bangla|Khela Hobe}}

The party name and election symbol represents 'grassroots'– the name contains the Bengali word ''trinamool'', which literally means grassroots, and the symbol is a sapling emerging from the ground.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last1=Chatterjee|first1=Jyotiprasad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d-u9DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT70|title=Left Front and After: Understanding the Dynamics of Poriborton in West Bengal|last2=Basu|first2=Suprio|date=7 January 2020|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|isbn=978-93-5328-724-5|pages=70}}</ref> The symbol is known as ''Jora Ghas Phul'' (Bengali: grass and flower; two flowers with grass).<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 May 2011|title=The fall and rise of Trinamool Congress – Indian Express|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/the-fall-and-rise-of-trinamool-congress/790124/2 |access-date=6 December 2021|website=The Indian Express Archives}}</ref> The usage of "All India" in the party name represents the rejection of "elitist" Indian National Congress from which it broke apart from.<ref name=":1" />

 

''Ma Mati Manush'' ({{lang-bn|মা মাটি মানুষ}}) was primarily a slogan, coined by [[Mamata Banerjee]]. The term is literally translated as "Mother, Motherland and People". The slogan became very popular in West Bengal at the time of the 2011 assembly election. Mamata Banerjee wrote a Bengali book with the same title.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.menakabooks.com/ameya-prakashan-books/421-maa-mati-manush-mamata-banerjee-suvarna-bedekar-ameya-prakashan-buy-online.html|title=Maa Mati Manush|website=Menaka Books|isbn=978-93-5080-024-9|language=Marathi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810120855/http://www.menakabooks.com/ameya-prakashan-books/421-maa-mati-manush-mamata-banerjee-suvarna-bedekar-ameya-prakashan-buy-online.html|archive-date=10 August 2020 |author=Mamata Banerjee |author2=Suvarna Bedekar |author3=Ameya Prakashan}}</ref> A song was also recorded with the same title.<ref>{{cite news|date=28 July 2011|title=Six popular contemporary slogans|newspaper=DNA India|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/slideshow-six-popular-contemporary-slogans-1570374#top|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225030109/https://www.dnaindia.com/india/slideshow-six-popular-contemporary-slogans-1570374|archive-date=25 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=20 May 2012|title='Ma Mati Manush' song at traffic intersections|work=Business Standard India|agency=PTI|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/-ma-mati-manush-song-at-traffic-intersections-112052000205_1.html|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref>

The slogan Joy Bangla is also officially used by [[Mamata Banerjee]] and by her party Trinamool Congress as part of attempt to create a territorial and ethnolinguistic identity for [[Bengalis]] in India.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/joy-bangla-history-west-bengal-7166839/| title = Explained: The history of 'Joy Bangla' {{!}} Explained News,The Indian Express| date = 29 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-decoded-joy-bangla-mamatas-slogan-that-bjp-calls-secessionist/372594| title = Decoded: The History Of 'Joy Bangla', Mamata's Slogan That BJP Calls Secessionist}}</ref> It is used in particular, as a closing remark for political speeches.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.thehindu.com/elections/west-bengal-assembly/khela-hobe-to-khela-sesh-its-season-of-slogans/article34155120.ece| title = West Bengal Assembly Elections {{!}} 'Khela hobe' to 'khela sesh' — it's season of slogans - The Hindu| newspaper = The Hindu| date = 24 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/let-the-game-for-2021-begin-says-mamata/article33896356.ece| title = Let the game for 2021 begin, says Mamata - The Hindu| newspaper = The Hindu| date = 21 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.esamskriti.com/e/National-Affairs/Current-Affairs/What-does-the-JOY-BANGLA-slogan-remind-you-of-1.aspx| title = What does the JOY BANGLA slogan remind you of - eSamskriti }}</ref>

In the 2021 assembly election, the party used a song "''Khela Hobe''" across the state. The song was penned by [[Debangshu Bhattacharya]], a party youth wing member. The "''Khela Hobe''" term has been used across India by several opposition parties and to catalyze the movements against the establishment on multiple issues throughout the nation.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Banerjee|first=Tamaghna|date=4 October 2021|title='Party hobe': CM Mamata Banerjee's supporters paint the town green|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/party-hobe-didis-supporters-paint-the-town-green/articleshow/86741104.cms |access-date=6 December 2021|website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=16 August 2021 |title=Khela Hobe Divas: TMC celebrates 'Khela Hobe Divas'|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/tmc-observes-khela-hobe-diwas-across-west-bengal/articleshow/85363785.cms |access-date=6 December 2021|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref>

* [[Mamata Banerjee]] — Founder,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/West-Bengal#ref1115982|title=West Bengal {{!}} History, Culture, Map, Capital, & Population|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=21 September 2018|language=en}}</ref> Chairperson, Leader of the party in the [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly]] and Chief Minister of West Bengal.

* [[Abhishek Banerjee (politician)|Abhishek Banerjee]] — General Secretary  

* [[Derek O'Brien (politician)|Derek O'Brien]] —Leader of the party in the [[Rajya Sabha]].

* [[Sushmita Dev]] — State Unit In Charge,Assam. MP, Rajya Sabha.

* [[Kirti Azad]] — State Unit In Charge,Goa. Ex MP, Lok Sabha.

* [[Mukul Sangma]] — Ex Leader of the Opposition in [[Meghalaya Legislative Assembly]].

* [[Aroop Biswas]] — Cashier

 

{{Reflist}}

{{Notelist|group=1}}

{{Reflist|group=note}}

*{{Cite book|last1=Chatterjee|first1=Jyotiprasad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d-u9DwAAQBAJ|title=Left Front and After: Understanding the Dynamics of Poriborton in West Bengal|last2=Basu|first2=Suprio|date=7 January 2020|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|isbn=978-93-5328-724-5|language=en|chapter=2. Rise and Growth of AITC}}

*{{Cite thesis|last=Piyali|first=Basu|title=Dynamics of Opposition Politics in West Bengal (1998–2011)|date=2017|publisher=Rabindra Bharati University|url=http://hdl.handle.net/10603/285507|doi=|hdl=10603/285507|place=[[Shodhganga]]}}

*  

* {{Official website}}

[[Category:Trinamool Congress| ]]