Report : In Search of Political Relevance

Even at the rally in Brigade Parade Ground, CPI (M) could not deliver a definite policy statement about what to do or what line they should toe now.

In the present political scenario, the CPI(M) is behaving like a fish which is out of water. They have lost their political relevance. It was obvious at the Brigade Ground meeting in Kolkata on December 27, where they failed to evolve any policy for upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal and Kerala in 2016. This is for the first time that any CPI(M) rally could experience a war of words among their own leaders. This unusual and remarkable situation was created when the Bengal leaders of CPI(M) did not even mention the name of the Congress let alone criticise them for their various anti-people policies. On the other hand, leaders from Kerala and Tripura vehemently went against the policies pursued by the Congress. Party’s Kerala State Secretary K Balakrishnan lambasted the Congress-led UDF government in his State.
Tripura CM Manik Sarkar on the other hand, referred to the Emergency and alleged that there is no difference between the Congress and the BJP as far as policies are concerned. A sizable section of leaders including Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee are skeptical about having any tie up with the Congress. Most of them feel it won’t bring extra votes and they even prove to be a political blunder given the experience we had with UPA-I from which we finally withdraw support.” Interestingly the CPI (M) had come up two slogans for the rallies “Remove BJP, Save India” and “Remove Trinamool, save Bengal” The slogans were on placards, banners and even T-Shirts all over the Brigade ground. So there was little scope for sending any anti-Congress message to the masses.
Even at the rally in Brigade Parade Ground, CPI (M) could not deliver a definite policy statement about what to do or what line they should toe now. Although the party general secretary Sitaram Yechury already declared, “We have to increase our presence among the masses. But how to do it is an issue we have to address.” For this reason only, the CPI (M) has called its Plenum after 38 years so that they can find out the ways and means for reviving the party in its old glory. In the last Plenum at Salkia (under district Howrah), where they had taken to maintain and highlight their revolutionary character. 38 years ago this revolutionary role of Russia was very strong and relevant too. Hence, by toeing that line CPI(M) had earned many laurels. But now, in the political arena they have lost their relevance. Strengthening the party is of paramount importance. Yechury further said, “CPI (M)’s principal concern is against the backdrop of electoral defeats and erosion of its vote-bank. Maybe, time has come when the party has to think over to replace their old hangover by some new ideas. Those days are gone when the CPI(M) used to call ‘mass revolutionary party’ since its inception. The change in approach, Yechury said, was meant to adapt to the changing scenario.”
According to them 70 per cent of Bharateeya population is aged below 40 years. They claim that among this population they have just managed a reach of about 16 per cent (this figure is considered to disputable) which is not enough to command or dictate terms. It simply means that the party is fast becoming unpopular among the youth and urban voters. Another glaring fact to be mentioned in this regard is that they are not confident enough to take on their opponents depending on their own strength. At one time under the leadership of late Jyoti Basu, their Front Politics was very successful. Presently, every now and then, smaller partners of the Left Front dare to threaten the party. Party like Forward Bloc has recently threatened CPM saying if they make any kind of alliance or seat adjustments in 2016 Assembly election they would sever the relationship with the CPI (M).
Muslims have already cut off their relationship with the CPI(M) during the last Parliamentary elections. Since then many efforts have been made to reconcile the relation. But nothing happened. Now they have projected Mohammed Salim as chief ministerial candidate in 2016 Assembly election. Although it is a fact that they themselves are not very sure that their gamble would any way be fruitful. 

-Asim Kumar Mitra