Disclosed are polymeric dyes of formula (1a); (1b); or (1c); wherein A and B, independently from each other represent a polymer backbone; X1 and X2 independently from each other are a linkage group selected from —C1-C10alkylene-; —C2-C12alkenylene-; —C5-C10cycloalkylene-; C5-C10arylene; —C5-C10arylene-(C1-C10alkylene)-; —C(O)—; —(CH2CH2—O)1-5—; —C(O)O—; —OCO—; —N(R1)—; —CON(R1)—; —(R1)NC(O)—; -0-; —S—; —S(O)—; —S(O)2—; —S(O)2—N(R1R2); or the direct bond; R1 and R2 independently from each other are hydrogen; or unsubstituted or substituted, straight-chain or branched, monocyclic or polycyclic, interrupted or uninterrupted C1-C14alkyl; C2-C14alkenyl; C6-C10aryl; C6-C10aryl-C1-C10alkyl; or C5-C10alkyl(C5-C10aryl); Y1 and Y2 independently from each other are a residue of an organic dye; or hydrogen; wherein at least one of Y1 and Y2 is a residue of an organic dye; An1, An2 and An3, independently from each other are an anion; a and b independently from each other are a number from 1 to 3; m is a number from O to 1000; n is a number from O to 1000; and p is a number from 1 to 1000; wherein the sum of m+n+p≧3.