communist party of india (marxist)

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), is a political party in India. It is strongest in West Bengal and Tripura, where it is holding government (2004). It split from the Communist Party of India in 1964 because of what it describes as the latter's revisionism and sectarianism. It claims to have 814,408 members as of 2002.

Party Organization

CPI(M) took 5,5% of vote in last legislative election (May 2004) and it has 43 MPs. They support new Indian National Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, but without taking part in it. In West Bengal and Tripura it participates in Left Front. In Kerala the party is part of Left Democratic Front. In Tamil Nadu it is part of the Progressive Democratic Alliance. In Hindi CPI(M) is often called मार्क्सवादी कमयुनिस्त पार्टी (Marksvadi Kamyunist Party, abbreviated MaKaPa). In Tamil the party is known as இந்திய கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி (மார்க்சிஸ்ட்) (Intia Kamyunist Katchi (Marxist)). The current general secretary of CPI(M) is Harkishan Surjit Singh. The CPI(M) MP Somnath Chatterjee is the speaker of the Lok Sabha (2004). The 17th party congress of CPI(M), held in Hyderabad March 2002 elected a Central Committee with 79 members. The CC later elected a 17-member Politburo:

The principal mass organizations of CPI(M)

Democratic Youth Federation of India
Students Federation of India
Centre of Indian Trade Unions
All India Kisan Sabha (peasants' organization)
All India Agricultural Workers Union
All India Democratic Women's Association
Bank Employees Federation of India
All India Lawyers Union

In Tripura, the Ganamukti Parishad is a major mass organization.

Party Publications

From the Centre, two weekly newspapers are published, People's Democracy (English) and Lok Lehar (Hindi).

Daily Newspapers

Ganashakti (West Bengal, Bengali)
Deshabhimani (Kerala), Malayalam)
Daily Desher Katha (Tripura, Bengali)
Theekathir (Tamil Nadu, Tamil)
Prajashakti (Andhra Pradesh, Telugu)

Weeklies

Abshar (West Bengal, Urdu)
Swadhintha (West Bengal, Hindi)
Desh Hiteshi (Bengali)
Aikya Ranga (Karnataka, Kannada)
Jeevan Marg (Maharashtra, Marathi)
Samyabadi (Orissa, Oriya)

Fortnightlies

Lok Jatan (Madhya Pradesh, Hindi)
Lok Samvad (Uttar Pradesh, Hindi)
Sarfarosh Chintan (Gujarat, Gujarati)

Monthlies

Shabtaab (Urdu)
Yeh Naya Raste (Jammu & Kashmir, Urdu)
Lok Lahar (Punjabi)
Nandan (Bengali)

Ideological Publications

Marxist (English)
Marxvadi Path (Bengali)
Chinta (Malayalam)
Prajasakti Ideological Bulletin (Telugu)

Publishing Houses

Leftword Books
CPI(M) Publication
National Book Agency (West Bengal)
Chinta Publication (Kerala)
Prajasakti Book House (Andhra Pradesh)
Deshabhimani Book House (Kerala)

Splits and offshoots

A large number of parties have been formed from splits of the CPI(M), such as Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Marxist Communist Party of India, Marxist Coordination Committee in Jharkhand, Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy and Communist Marxist Party in Kerala, Party of Democratic Socialism in West Bengal, Janganotantrik Morcha in Tripura, the Ram Pasla group in Punjab, Orissa Communist Party in Orissa, etc.

Election Results

see CPI(M) election results.

External links

Articles

Search For Ways To Keep Marx Alive Opinion on party structure by Sumanta Sen. The Telegraph Calcutta, India. March 31, 2005. Accessed April 1, 2005.