Elections have been announced for the Assemblies of four states and one union territory – Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry. The Party has devised electoral tactics in all these five places, in consonance with the tasks laid out in the Political Resolution adopted by its 24^th Congress held in Madurai last year.

Kerala

In Kerala, the CPI(M) led LDF government has been in office since 2016. Over the last decade, in a dangerous climate of corporate-communal-authoritarian rightward shift within the country, Kerala has remained the only state without even a single instance of communal violence. Amidst constant attacks on the rights of working people across India, Kerala’s LDF government has been able to protect and strengthen such rights while also improving the living standards of workers. Wage hikes have been implemented in more than 90 sectors since 2016. Even scheme workers who have been neglected by the union government – like ASHA and Anganwadi workers – have received substantial rise in their honorariums – from Rs 1,000 in 2016 to Rs 8,000 in 2026 – under the LDF government. An environment that is conducive for the growth of both public and private enterprises – including startups – has been created in Kerala over the last ten years, which has been recognised even by neutral agencies.

A significant step towards ensuring social justice was made by appointing those from SC and backward communities as priests in temples under the Devaswom Boards. By eradicating extreme poverty, providing 500,364 houses to the homeless through LIFE Mission, handing over of title deeds to 456,000 landless,  distributing social security pensions at Rs 2,000 per month to more than 62 lakh beneficiaries, providing free treatment to more than 40 lakh people and so on, the concept of welfare state was made truly meaningful in Kerala under the LDF government. Education has been made free up to the degree level in Kerala. Through the ‘Sthree Suraksha’ scheme, women and trans women aged 35 to 60 years, who are economically backward and not drawing benefits from other social welfare schemes, are now receiving Rs 1,000 per month. Through the Connect to Work programme, youth who are engaged in skill training or competitive exam preparation are receiving up to Rs 1,000 per month for a maximum of one year.

In addition to all these, infrastructure development projects worth more than Rs. 100,000 crores have been taken up outside the budget. Kerala made such giant strides at a time when the Finance Commission devolution for Kerala was reduced from 3.88 per cent in the 10^th FC to 1.925 per cent in the 15^th FC. This was on top of the reduction of grants and restrictions on borrowings. Unfazed amidst such challenges, the LDF government has gone ahead with its mission of transforming Kerala into a knowledge economy and society with infrastructure and facilities that are at par with advanced countries having middle income. Even though the union government refused to allocate even a single penny to Kerala for the rehabilitation of the Wayanad landslide survivors, a disaster resistant township has been constructed by the state government.

Over the last ten years, Kerala’s LDF government has been able to leave an indelible impression on the welfare and development of the state, overcoming successive natural disasters even in the midst of severe financial constraints imposed upon the state government by the union government. Despite the constitutional limitations on a state government within a federal system with a strong unitary bias, the LDF government has been able to present an alternative to the neo-liberal policies pursued by the BJP led union government which seek to aid the growth of their capitalist cronies at the expense of the vast majority of the Indian people. Therefore, in Kerala, the CPI(M) is fighting to take all these achievements forward, and seeking the re-election of the LDF government, for a historic third consecutive term.

West Bengal

As observed in the Political Resolution, “Trinamool Congress… is an autocratic party based on criminal-corrupt-political nexus which is virulently anti-Communist. It… seeks to maintain the binary of the TMC versus BJP to marginalise the CPI(M)”. As a result, in West Bengal, the CPI(M) has not been represented in the Legislative Assembly since 2021. Over the last 15 years, the conditions of public education, women’s safety, employment and industry have seriously eroded in West Bengal. People are forced to migrate outside the state in search of jobs. A state which was known for its communal harmony under the Left Front rule has seen repeated outbreaks of communal violence in the last decade and a half. Where the state government faltered, the CPI(M) stood in defence of the people of Bengal, especially the slum dwellers, marginalised, rural poor, youth and women.

In West Bengal, despite the media frenzy created by its Chief Minister, nearly 8.30 per cent of the current voters were deleted from the Electoral Rolls during the current Special Intensive Revision. In contrast, Kerala, under the CPI(M) led LDF government where only 3.22 per cent of the voters were deleted from the rolls, was able to protect the most basic democratic rights of its citizens – the right to vote – to a great extent. In short, the political and administrative fallout of the peculiar situation in which the CPI(M) is absent from the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, is there for all to see. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that the voice of the CPI(M) and the Left is once again heard in the state’s Legislative Assembly, so that people’s livelihood issues can be taken up earnestly.

Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, the Party is contesting as part of the DMK-led alliance. Tamil Nadu is one of the states where the RSS-BJP combine is making a concerted effort to spread communal poison. The most recent example is the attempts by Hindutva - Manuvadi forces to whip up communal tensions by manufacturing a controversy around the religious sites situated on Tirupparankundram Hill in Madurai district, with a sinister eye on political gain. The hill houses three temples, a dargah, and several ancient Jain caves. The BJP labelled this site, which has stood as a symbol of communal harmony and peaceful coexistence, as the ‘Ayodhya of the South’, brought in people from outside, and attempted to provoke an incident. However, the people of Madurai and Tamil Nadu stood firm against communal hate politics and upheld the pluralistic traditions of the state by refusing to fall prey to the campaign orchestrated by communal elements. The approach of the DMK government in the state, in handling this issue firmly, was also exemplary.

It was categorically stated in the Political Line approved by the 24^th Congress that “the Party will cooperate with those regional parties which are firmly opposing the BJP”. It was also stated that “isolating and defeating the BJP and the Hindutva forces require a continuous struggle against the Hindutva ideology and the activities of the communal forces”. In this regard, it is imperative that the DMK led alliance in Tamil Nadu is re-elected to office. It is also important to strengthen federalism, as the DMK government in the state has been a vocal advocate for the restructuring of union-state relations. They have even constituted a High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations, headed by former judge of the Supreme Court Justice Kurian Joseph. Therefore, our electoral tactic in Tamil Nadu is also in line with the task to “rally forces for the defence of the rights of states and for federalism”, as stated in the Political Resolution.

Assam

In Assam, the BJP government has been on a witch-hunt of Muslims, especially in the backdrop of the SR exercise. The vile statements and social media posts made by the Chief Minister were only making the situation worse and that is when the Party approached the Supreme Court seeking the registration of an FIR against him and the setting up of a court-monitored SIT to conduct a thorough investigation. The campaign for unleashing communal hate was to ensure large scale takeover of land and other natural resources, including Schedule 6 protected tribal areas, due to the close nexus with corporates. There are widespread concerns in the state with regard to the NPR and NRC as well. It is imperative that the BJP is defeated in Assam and for that broader unity is required. That is precisely the tactic that we have adopted in Assam, “to maximise the pooling of anti-BJP votes”, as stated in our Political Line.

Puducherry

The Union Territory has a history of Congress leaders joining the BJP. Even the current Chief Minister of Puducherry is a former Congress leader, who is now part of the NDA. There too, our effort will be to force them out of office, by pooling the maximum number of votes against the BJP and their allies.

These upcoming elections are important as far as fighting the RSS-BJP combine is concerned. It is also important for us to develop the independent strength of our Party as well as that of the Left and democratic forces. The March 24 ‘Chalo Dilli – Jan Aakrosh Rally’ preceded by local level contact work taken up through state level Jan Aakrosh Jathas, from Jharkhand to Jammu & Kashmir, underlines the ‘Mass Line’ being implemented by our Party, taking up livelihood issues of the toiling masses. These are equally important as the electoral battles.

Therefore, Party members across the country have to take up this fight with full dedication, in an effort to achieve the tasks set out in our Political Resolution, by staying true to the Political Line that has been laid out. Onwards comrades!