At CPI-M Congress, party vows to fight 'Hindutva-corporate' nexus as chief enemy

At the event being held in Madurai, around thirty journalists and television camerapersons had gathered but more than half of them were from Malayalam TV channels and newspapers. The remaining attendees included reporters from two news agencies and four or five Tamil channels. Notably, the ‘national’ media was missing.

The questions, too, came almost entirely from Kerala-based journalists, barring a solitary inquiry from a PTI reporter and another concerning tribal issues from a regional journalist.

Shrinking relevance

This was a stark contrast to the party congresses of the early 2000s, when CPI(M) still commanded a significant presence on the national stage. During the Hyderabad Congress in 2002— held in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots — or the Delhi Congress in 2005, which followed the UPA’s victory over Vajpayee’s ‘India Shining’ campaign, the media turnout was dramatically different.

Also read: Kerala: CPI(M)'s new state headquarters to open on April 23

In those years, reporters thronged CPI(M) events, jostling for soundbites from leaders like Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Prakash Karat, or Sitaram Yechury. National newspapers gave extensive coverage to these events, and the party’s ideological stance was closely followed across the country.

Today, however, the near-total absence of national media at the CPI(M)’s highest decision-making forum signals a deeper shift – the party’s shrinking relevance beyond its traditional strongholds.

"It’s a harsh reality that our political relevance is shrinking, and the media is contributing to it. Even within the party, there is an awareness of this situation, and we are actively discussing it. We understand the gravity of the challenge, but hopefully, the party will respond with a fresh strategy and new tactics. We shall overcome, won’t we?" said a delegate.

With Kerala being the only state where CPI(M) remains in power and the party’s presence having drastically declined in its former strongholds of West Bengal and Tripura within just over a decade, the scale of its downfall is undeniable. This shift is reflected not just in electoral numbers but also in the tone and content of discussions at the Party Congress.

Alliance strategy

The Political Review Report, which is to be presented at the Congress today (The Federal has accessed the report in advance), suggests that the party's alliance with other parties, including the Congress, under the INDIA bloc needs a critical reassessment. While the bloc did manage to weaken the BJP to some extent, the CPI(M) itself saw little to no benefit, particularly in its former strongholds of West Bengal and Tripura.

Also read: CPI(M) Party Congress begins with call for fight against Hindutva forces, crony capitalism

Although the party was able to marginally improve its tally in the Lok Sabha, its overall vote share remained largely unchanged. The report further analyses that due to seat-sharing agreements and electoral understandings within the bloc, CPI(M) was unable to contest in several constituencies, leading to a decline in its overall vote base.

Also read: Karat bats for broader platform of secular Opposition parties

This sentiment was echoed in the inaugural speech by Prakash Karat, highlighting the party's need for a reassessment of its alliance strategy. The Party Congress is expected to take a calculated decision regarding future collaborations.

”The Party Congress will be addressing the prime issue of how to increase the independent strength of the CPI(M). Taken the country as a whole, there has to be a planned effort to launch local struggles on class and mass issues, build the party at grass-roots and streamline the functioning of the party organisation,” said Prakash Karat in his inaugural speech.

According to information from party sources, indications suggest that the party congress is unlikely to support an alliance with the Congress, at least in West Bengal and Tripura, where the party sees no electoral advantage.

In Kerala, the battle remains a direct contest between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), leaving little room for cooperation. This means that the INDIA bloc's relevance to the CPI(M) could be largely confined to the Hindi heartland — an approach that may not align with the views of some of the other Left parties.

View on Congress

While recognising that the Congress, as the largest secular party, has a role to play in opposing the BJP, Brinda Karat also pointed out its shortcomings, in her media briefing.

"We have our own assessment of the Congress. Fundamentally, it is a party of the ruling classes in India. However, the support of that class has now shifted from the Congress to the BJP. It is also true that the Congress is perhaps not playing the role it could, given its position. Our approach is determined by the fact that it remains the largest secular party," she explained.

Brinda Karat made it clear that CPI(M)'s cooperation with the Congress does not mean it will refrain from criticism or electoral battles. "The Congress has a role to play, but that does not mean we won’t criticise them or any other party. Where the Congress or any other partner is in direct confrontation with us, we will fight them — because that is how we can defeat and isolate the BJP," she asserted.

Hindutva is pro-corporate

The CPI(M) is working towards formulating an ideological framework to guide the party in the coming days, aiming to establish itself as a strong political opposition. Its primary objective is to counter the BJP’s growing dominance, which is propelled by a two-pronged strategy of Hindutva and corporate influence.

Also read: CPI(M) faces acid test as Kerala Muslim groups sail closer to Congress

"Hindutva is blatantly pro-corporate, and we must recognise this reality. Opposing the BJP solely on communal grounds may no longer be effective. The Hindutva-corporate nexus must be directly challenged. Many parties criticise the BJP for its communalism but fail to grasp the class nature of Hindutva – that is what sets us apart," said Brinda Karat.

This will be the central focus of discussions on the political report at the Party Congress. The Congress is set to finalise and adopt a political resolution by this evening.

The organisational report, set to be introduced by politburo member B V Raghavalu this evening (April 4) and discussed tomorrow (April 5), includes strong self-criticism and outlines stringent corrective measures for the party.

A major concern highlighted in the report is the decline in membership and the lack of youth engagement, an issue affecting several states – including Kerala, where the party remains in power. The report highlights a concerning dropout rate among candidate members in Kerala, which stands at approximately 23 per cent, making it one of the highest in the country – second only to Telangana.

The agenda also includes a potential constitutional amendment for the party, along with the election of a new general secretary.