CPI(M) vows to build Left unity, bring together secular forces to defeat BJP at key meet

Madurai | Building Left unity and bringing together secular and democratic forces to challenge the "authoritarian politics" of the ruling BJP are among the key focus areas, leaders of the CPI(M) said at the 24th party congress that kicked off here on Wednesday.

The key party meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) comes at a crucial time as India is facing "extreme challenges" and needs "secular unity", CPI(M) Politburo member and president of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Ashok Dhawale said.

"We are looking at the extreme challenges facing India today in the form of the RSS-BJP government at the Centre. It's extremely anti-people, pro-corporate, communal, authoritarian and neo-fascist," Dhawale told PTI.

"We believe that all other forces in the country must come together to fight this government, to defeat this government. Otherwise, what we have seen in the last 11 years, this tragedy would continue for many more years.

"We don't want that to happen because only a few people are gaining everything at the expense of the vast majority," he added.

Dhawale said while seeking broad secular unity, the party is also going to focus on increasing its independent strength and bringing together Left forces all over India.

Politburo member Subhashini Ali said a stronger CPI(M) is important for battling the BJP.

"The focus is on two things that are interlinked, building a stronger CPI(M), and fighting the BJP and its authoritarian politics. These two are linked, without a strong CPI(M), we think the battle against the BJP and its policies cannot be fought," Ali told PTI.

Former eight-time Lok Sabha MP and Politburo member Hannan Mollah stressed that secular forces should come together even if there are differences.

"Our country is facing a serious challenge. The values that emerged from the independence struggle, the dream of a united India, and the anti-imperialistic ideas, are being challenged.

"We are all wondering that perhaps our dream of India may come to an end. Communalism and imperialism are expanding, and rational, scientific thinking is being pushed away. It is a very, very grave situation," Mollah told PTI.

The former MP said well-meaning people should come together to protect the country's Constitution.

"There are difficulties in coming together, ego problems are there sometimes. But we have to forget all differences and come together. If we do not do this, we will betray the people," he said.

Member of CPI(M) Central Committee and Kulgam MLA M Y Tarigami said the situation in the country at present is "unparalleled" and will be discussed and debated.

"The party congress comes at a challenging time. The country is facing serious problems, serious crisis. In the deliberations, the nature of the current situation will be discussed and debated, and a political line will be evolved on how to face these challenges," Tarigami said.

"There is an onslaught of Hindutva politics which is against the secular values of the country, minorities, and working people. This nexus of corporate and Hindutva is creating certain situations which are unparalleled," he said.

Central Committee member A K Balan said the RSS poses an "unimaginable" danger to the country and neo-fascism must be defeated to safeguard the Constitution.

"This is an important party congress in the history of CPI(M). The danger we are going to face is neo-fascism. It is not a simple thing, it has to be defeated. Unless it is defeated we cannot safeguard the Constitution. The danger posed by RSS elements is unimaginable. How to face it is the important political issue we are going to discuss," he said.

The five-day CPI(M) congress will conclude on April 6. Apart from deciding the political-tactical line of the party, a new Central Committee will also be elected.

The Central Committee would also elect from among its members a Politburo, including the General Secretary. The number of members in the Politburo is decided by the Central Committee.

CPI-M interim coordinator Prakash Karat speaks during the 24th party congress, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Coloured with red flags, Madurai hosts Party Congress for 3rd time

Madurai (TN) | As the Communist Party of India (Marxist) holds its 24th party congress in Madurai, this is not the first time that the temple city in Tamil Nadu has hosted the Left party's meet.

Known as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, Madurai hosted the third congress of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in 1953. A split in the CPI in 1964 led to the formation of the CPI(M) and its ninth conference was also held in Madurai in 1972.

The city has been coloured red with the sickle-and-hammer flag of the CPI(M) and huge hoardings of icons like Karl Marx, Frederick Engels, V I Lenin and Joseph Stalin to welcome delegates from all over the country. The venue of the congress, the Thamukkam ground, has also hosted the Left party's meetings earlier.

Speaking at the inaugural session, CPI-M's interim coordinator Prakash Karat said five of the delegates attending the congress -- Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar, Left Front chairman Biman Bose, S Ramachandran Pillai and N Ram -- had also attended the meet in 1972.

"The party congress is the most important and supreme forum for a communist party. It is, therefore, appropriate that we are holding this Congress in Madurai, a city endowed with the ethos of ancient Tamil literature and culture and which harmoniously combines the history of more than eight decades of the working-class and communist movement," Karat said.

He recalled the efforts of leaders like P Ramamoorthi, K T K Thangamani, N Sankariah and K P Janaki Ammal, and said they made distinctive contributions to the development of the party in Madurai and Tamil Nadu.

Bose recalled the earlier party congresses held in Madurai.

"In 1953, political questions started hovering over the minds of the comrades about the line that was to be adopted. The party programme was not sorted out. When the seventh party congress took place (in 1964), the party could discuss about the development of the organisation, how to implement the party line and the party's programmatic understanding, which was accepted at the seventh party congress in Kolkata," he said.

In a post shared on social media ahead of the 24th party congress, recalling the ninth congress, the CPI(M) had said important developments over the previous years, including the installation and subsequent dismissal of party-led governments in West Bengal and Kerala, were taken note of, as was the split in the Congress party, Indira Gandhi's massive electoral victory and the liberation of Bangladesh.

The CPI(M) had also noted the "semi-fascist terror" directed mainly against the party in West Bengal as well as the violent repression and rigging of elections.

The party congress warned about the increasing danger of centralisation of power and the threat to democracy.

Bose said the present situation is similar to what prevailed at that time.

"The 24th party congress in Madurai is also being held in a situation which is very crucial, internationally and nationally. The right-wingers ... the corporate nexus and their game plans are going on seriously. At this juncture, what we are to do, how we are to do it and how we can build and strengthen our party properly are going to be discussed in the congress," he said.

Bose added that the party needs to reach out to villages, urban areas, cities, factories, fields, colleges, universities and all other institutions where people work.

The all-India party congress is usually convened by the central committee of the CPI(M) once every three years. The meeting that started on Wednesday will conclude on April 6.