CPI(M) WEST Bengal state committee held its meeting on June 19-20, to review the assembly election results. Presided by Biman Basu and attended by Party’s general secretary, Sitaram Yechury and some other Polit Bureau members, the meeting thoroughly discussed the performance of the Party and of the Left in the assembly elections.

The draft placed by the state secretary, Surjya Misra has analysed the political and organisational reasons behind the electoral setback. It was stated that the vote share of CPI(M) and Left Front had decreased consistently. Support has declined among the classes and different sections of the people. There was mass discontent against the TMC but they gained as anti-BJP feeling gained strength. There was sharp polarisation between the TMC and the BJP.

The people of the state have accepted the TMC as the main force against the BJP. TMC has been able to use welfare projects in their favour. Though not the main factor, religious polarisation played its role. TMC has used ‘Bengali” sentiments to counter aggressive campaign by the BJP. Both the TMC and the BJP have used identity politics which could not be countered effectively. To pull maximum possible anti-TMC anti-BJP votes, it was necessary to mobilise democratic and secular forces as much as possible. Out of this necessity, Sanjukta Morcha was formed. But morcha could not be established as an alternative to the people. 

Sitaram Yechury said the common factor behind the setback is the erosion of our mass base. We have not been able to overcome this deficiency. The mistakes which have been discussed in the Party earlier were not overcome. The failure to realise mistakes help to produce bigger mistakes. There was anti-incumbency in the state. BJP gained in 2019 because of this. But the TMC has taken some steps to minimise this discontent. They used welfare projects in this regard. They used Bengali chauvinism to counter BJP’s Hindutva.

Yechury said, in the 22nd Party Congress it was said that the main task is to defeat BJP. To achieve that we would strive to develop unity of the secular forces. This unity will be for struggle. When there is an election, there will be an attempt for an electoral understanding. But no tactics are successful until the people are ready for that. In West Bengal, this effort should continue but the manner in which this happens has to be discussed.

Yechury said, during the Left Front period there was no sense of insecurity among the minorities. But there were other socio-economic aspirations. There was a deficiency on our part which was sought to be corrected. But the emergence of the BJP has changed the scenario. We will definitely take up identity issues but through class struggle. Class struggle cannot be subsumed by identity politics. This should be our direction.

Yechury said politics facilitates the organisation. There is a dialectical relation between politics and organisation. If we fail to take up people’s issues and present political alternative, mere Party organisational structure will not bring success.

Yechury said this is the time for a new beginning. The Party has to build up the political struggle. Lots of youth have come around us, they are our wealth. They should be nurtured and included in the Party structure. They should be given responsibilities. No one except the CPI(M) and the Left Front will raise the basic issues of the people. The people are under attack which will be sharpened in the coming days. We have to build resistance against that attack. The struggle of the working class and the peasantry should be intensified. People are our real strength. There will be opportunities to build peoples’ struggle which will give rise to a bright future.

Surjya Misra, while presenting the draft and concluding the discussion said, the independent strength of the Party must be developed. The unity of the Left Front and other Left forces will depend on that. And again, on that basis, secular democratic forces can be mobilised. This mobilisation has to be done in a struggle against the BJP-TMC. It is necessary for class mobilisation and mobilising different social forces. During the elections, Sanjukta Morcha was formed to mobilise the maximum possible forces against the BJP and the TMC.

Misra said the weaknesses identified in the plenum have to be overcome. The mass fronts have to work with new vigour. The contact with class and different sections of the people must be increased. Long-lasting movements have to be built upon people’s issues. The class struggle should be sharpened. We have to stand by tribal and dalit people. Social questions are integrally related to class movements. Identity politics is being used to divide people; we will recognise the democratic content to unite the people. There should be an emphasis on ideological exercise. The Left will fight against any attempt to divide West Bengal.

The state committee has decided to continue with the task of reviewing at all levels of the Party and elicit an opinion from the masses.