CPI going downhill, Party Congress to take stock of decline

Vijayawada: The Communist Party of India has seen better days in its nearly century-old existence in the country. Today the oldest communist party in India draws its strength mostly from southern states including Kerala. It is in a bad state in Bengal and Tripura where it was strong once. The membership statistics collated prior to the five-day national meet, Party Congress, which commenced here points to its decline.

The working report which was presented during the delegate conference of the 24th Party Congress lists the membership figures.

The party currently has a total of 6.5 lakh members. Based on the statistics in 2021, 1.67 lakh members are in Kerala and 1.13 lakh are in Tamil Nadu. Bihar has the third highest membership numbers for CPI with 78,912 and Telangana is the fourth with 78,032 members.

The host for the Party Congress this time, Andhra Pradesh, holds the fifth position with 51,666 members. In Bengal, the CPI members have shrunk to 26,832. Punjab has 20194, while Odissa has 19,747 members.

The neighbouring state Karnataka where the BJP is in power has 4,213 members, while Tripura has just 9,37 members. Only Jammu Kashmir (288) and Lakshadweep (161) are behind Tripura.

In many States, the situation is such that the branch committee – the lowest party organizational entity – does not even meet once a year, the report says. There is no need to look for another reason as to why the party drifts away from the people.

Owing to the lackadaisical attitude of the branches, even a polling agent cannot be appointed at the time of election.

No soft approach to the Congress

The delegate congress will actively discuss the relationship to be maintained with the Congress party.

The political resolution which does not express the earlier soft stand strongly criticizes the association. The resolution hints that Congress cannot claim the earlier position on the secular front.

However, the Kerala State Council of the Party, during the discussion on the resolution, had questioned who else would remain in the Opposition if the Congress is also set aside.

Forming a national alternative against the BJP, strengthening the bond between the Left parties, and strengthening the CPI itself are the declared targets of the Party Congress this time.