Time for CPI (M) to change its style : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Time for CPI (M) to change its style

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Pioneer (20-05-2022)

The largest arm of the Communist Party in the country the CPI (Marxist) founded by great stalwarts like Pucchalapalli Sundarayya, EMS Namboodiripad, Hari Kishan Singh Surjit, Pramod Das Gupta, AK Gopalan, BT Ranadive, M Basava Punniah, P Ramamurti and Jyoti Bose could manage to win just three Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 elections. For the first time since its formation in 1964, the party drawn a blank in West Bengal. The CPI(M) which played a pivotal role in government formation at the centre in 1989, 1996 and 2004 no more is a confident of Government of the day. Failure of Communists will certainly enhance the influence and authority of right-wing extremism, fanatic communalism which is not healthy for the nation. 

After India's Independence, a series of events like Sino-Soviet split and Sino-Indian war led to the split in the Communist Party of India in 1964. The breakaway Communist Party of India (Marxist) emerged stronger both in terms of membership and performance in the Indian Elections. CPI (M) has a glorious record in conducting class and mass struggles. The CPI (M) is the biggest contingent of the Left. It was once heading Left-led governments in three states which is now cut down to size one.

In early 1950s, the united CPI was bitterly divided over the manner in which political power in India should be captured. The militants advocated the 'Chinese path', or capture of power through violent means and the other group was for the 'Indian path' or capture power within the constraints of Indian Constitution. Chandra Rajeswar Rao, who advocated Chinese Path, did not sail with CPIM after the split. Makineni Basava Punniah who advocated Chinese Path along with Rajeswar Rao, became a politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after the split in 1964. Then there were certainly no personal interests involved in their choosing either CPI or CPM. However, Sundarayya in his letter to the party Polit Bureau and Central Committee Members in August 1975 offering his resignation as party General Secretary criticized Basava Punniah for limiting his role to giving advice and opinion but actually not fighting for his line.

Pucchalapalli Sundarayya was a founding member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a leader of the peasant revolt in the Telangana Rebellion. In 1936, Sundarayya became a member of the Central Committee of the undivided Communist Party of India. He went underground between 1948 and 1952. He was re-elected to the Central Committee in 1952. He was also elected to the Polit Bureau, the highest forum in the Party. When the Party leadership was in favour of supporting the Government at the time of the Sino-Indian War, Sundarayya resigned his positions protesting against the policies of the dominant leadership of the Party. He was arrested and imprisoned during November 1962 at the time of India-China border war. After the split Sundarayya was elected as its General Secretary. He continuously remained Party’s General Secretary till 1976. In that year, which fell during the Emergency, he resigned from the General Secretary Ship and Polit bureau membership, for what he called the “revisionist habits” acquired by the Party.

Sundarayya in his resignation pointed out among others, Polit Bureau’s failure to concretize party’s tactical line, non-seriousness on agrarian resolution in practice, ignoring building of secret part of party’s organization, Polit Bureau not functioning as a collective body and so on. Had the Party taken serious note of his anguish, CPI (M) position would have been much, much better than the present humiliating status.

The 19^th CPM Party Congress held during March 29 to April 3, 2008 at Coimbatore called for a rectification campaign against wrong trends in the Party. The rectification was meant to unify and strengthen the Party on correct principles. How far the objective could be achieved and how far the campaign percolated down below the cadre in its true spirit is not known. 

            There is no doubt that alien values and ideas affected CPM Party leaders and cadres. Along with the concentration of wealth, the creation of business-politician nexus at all levels is intertwining between corporate and business interests and the political system. Even the CPI (M) Central Committee once observed that the role of money power has increased to an unprecedented level in politics, particularly in elections and CPIM cadre is no exception to it. With the association with bourgeois parties at various levels, particularly through electoral understandings and with the rise of the business-political nexus, there is a corresponding rise in use of money and other bourgeois practices. These have corrosive effect on CPM cadres. CPIM’s relationship with secular parties also on the declining mode.

Majority of the Party membership consists of new entrants who are still to acquire the basic outlook of the Party and they are yet to be grounded in the class and mass struggles. Such a situation leads to all sorts of feudal, bourgeois and petty bourgeois trends emerging within the Party. The party top leadership noted that, in the leading committees of the Party only around 30 per cent belong to working class, poor peasants and agricultural workers.  Violation of communist norms have also arisen. Due to parliamentary outlook and electoral opportunism, mass movements, launching struggles and building the Party is being neglected by CPI (M).

Due to distinct increase in parliamentary opportunism among CPM cadre, Increased numbers of individual comrades resorted to revolting when refused party ticket. The use of money, liquor and other corrupt practices has grown in the party. The money used in elections has reached an unprecedented level in states where the party is in existence even for namesake.

The party feels threatened when some leaders and cadres fail to live up to the communist standards and values. For lavish lifestyle, building houses which are far above the minimum needs required, spending large amounts on weddings of children, organizing festivities on a lavish scale CPI (M) is no exception. There are examples of comrades who have acquired assets and incur expenses disproportionate to their known sources of income. There are cases of Party leaders running NGOs with no check or accountability about the funds being used. Real estate promoters, contractors and liquor contractors seek to establish connections with CPM cadre and those in elected positions. The tendency to collect big amounts of money from individuals and affluent sections, instead of mass collection, has increased specially to meet election expenses. Accounts for these are not properly maintained and submitted to the respective committees. Often the Party committees are unable to initiate action due to various reasons such as factional trends, liberalism and reluctance to antagonize an important Party cadre.

Against this background now it’s time for the CPI (M) the largest arm of the Communist Party to have an introspection and live up to the expectations of people. It is their essential duty to align with likeminded forces of secular, democratic and socialist to contain right wing and national extremism. Maybe it is time for the party leadership to think in terms of actively supporting the alternate national agenda proposed by Telangana Chief Minister KCR so that the rise of right-wing extremism is checked and democratic forces are strengthened.