Why is the CPI(M) not including the CPI (Maoist) in the Left unity platform? Is the Maoist party not a Left party? S. Roopesh, Bangalore The CPI(M) has called for all Left parties, groups and individuals to come together to constitute a broad Left platform. This can be achieved by conducting joint actions and united struggles on agreed issues to begin with. Six Left parties at the national level have agreed for such joint actions. In some of the states, other state-based Left parties have also joined and formed united Left platforms like the 10-party Left grouping in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the 17-party Left platform in West Bengal and the 8-party alliance in Maharashtra. The Maoists, who calls themselves the CPI (Maoist), are functioning underground and relying mainly on armed struggle as its political tactic. It does not believe in mass political activity or developing mass movements. Their attitude to other Left parties like the CPI(M) and the CPI is hostile and they brand them as agents of the ruling classes. They have, in fact, targeted the CPI(M) cadres and supporters and killed them in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and, more recently, in West Bengal in the Junglemahal area where many CPI(M) members and supporters were assassinated. So there is no question of including them in a united Left platform. If there is any basic and genuine change in their political approach and tactics, then the issue of their joining in joint movements can be considered.