The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has demanded the revival of the INDIA opposition bloc following recent Assembly election results. However, the party criticized Congress, the largest ally within the alliance, for adopting a stance that hampers efforts to unite secular forces against the BJP-RSS duo, which CPI(M) views as the primary political challenge.
The party’s Central Committee (CC) convened recently to evaluate the election outcomes and expressed disappointment over Congress’s approach, which CPI(M) said was counterproductive to opposition coordination. The statement condemned claims that CPI(M) forged any electoral “deal” with the BJP in Kerala as unfounded and malicious.
Kerala, the last stronghold of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), fell to the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), led by Congress. CPI(M)’s Kerala state committee is engaged in extensive consultations across its ranks to analyze the defeat and craft corrective strategies. Similar internal reviews are planned for CPI(M) units in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam to address weaknesses exposed by recent polls.
Despite setbacks, CPI(M) welcomed its limited comeback in West Bengal, where it secured a seat after a previous rout, and acknowledged an Independent associated with the party won in Puducherry’s Mahe constituency. The CC also noted the BJP’s expanding presence in southern states, highlighting concerns over its growing influence despite presently winning only a nominal number of seats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The party accused the BJP of manipulating electoral district boundaries through delimitation to dilute southern states’ political weight. It further criticized the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging large numbers of voters have been disenfranchised due to what CPI(M) described as “logical discrepancies.”
On the economic front, CPI(M) refuted government assertions of recovery, pointing to rising unemployment, distress among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), fertiliser shortages in agriculture, and growing inequality. The rupee’s historic depreciation, dwindling foreign exchange reserves, and post-election fuel price hikes were highlighted as evidence of economic strain, with the party vowing to mobilize opposition against austerity measures.
The Central Committee strongly opposed the new VBGRAMG Act, which is set to replace MGNREGA, accusing it of denying rural workers guaranteed employment and over-relying on digital infrastructure. Additionally, CPI(M) condemned the immediate implementation of the new Labour Codes post-elections, urging state governments to amend these laws to better protect workers’ rights.
The party’s statement also spotlighted an alarming rise in atrocities against women, Dalits, and Adivasis, citing a recent gang rape in Delhi as an example. CPI(M) linked these systemic failures to the BJP-led government, alleging complicity of BJP leaders in fostering such violence.