Communist Party of India (Marxist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Abbreviation	CPI(M), CPIM, CPM
Rajya Sabha leader	Elamaram Kareem
Founded	7 November 1964 (60 years ago) (1964-11-07)
Split from	Communist Party of India
Headquarters	A. K. Gopalan Bhawan, 27–29, Bhai Vir Singh Marg, New Delhi-110 001
Newspaper	People's Democracy Ganashakti Deshabhimani Theekkathir Loklahar Daily Desher Katha
Student wing	Students' Federation of India Tribal Students Union
Youth wing	Democratic Youth Federation of India Tribal Youth Federation
Women's wing	All India Democratic Women's Association
Labour wing	Centre of Indian Trade Unions
Peasant's wing	All India Kisan Sabha All India Agricultural Workers Union
Membership	1 million+ (2023)
Ideology	Communism Marxism-Leninism
Political position	Left-wing
International affiliation	IMCWP
Colours	Red
ECI Status	National Party
Alliance	Alliances Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (National) Secular Progressive Alliance (Tamil Nadu,Puducherry) Left Front (Tripura) Left Front (West Bengal) Secular Democratic Alliance (West Bengal) Left Democratic Front (Kerala) United Opposition Forum (Assam) Mahagathbandhan (Bihar) Maha Vikas Aghadi (Maharashtra) People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (Jammu and Kashmir) Samajwadi Alliance (Uttar Pradesh) Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (Manipur)
Seats in Lok Sabha	4 / 543
Seats in Rajya Sabha	5 / 245
Seats in State legislatures	78 / 4,036 (Total) State Legislatures 61 / 140 (Kerala) 10 / 60 (Tripura) 2 / 234 (Tamil Nadu) 2 / 243 (Bihar) 1 / 126 (Assam) 1 / 147 (Odisha) 1 / 288 (Maharashtra)
Number of states and union territories in government	2 / 31
Election symbol
Hammer Sickle and Star
Party flag
Elections

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), often called CPI(M), is a major political party in India. It is the biggest communist party in India. This is true for both its number of members and the seats it wins in elections. It is also one of India's national parties. The party was formed in 1964 when it split from the Communist Party of India. It quickly became the more powerful group.

The CPI(M) led the Left Front government in West Bengal for 34 years. This was the longest time a democratically elected communist government ruled anywhere in the world. The party has also been the third largest party in the Indian Parliament many times. Today, the CPI(M) is part of the ruling groups in two states. It leads the LDF in Kerala. It is also part of the SPA in Tamil Nadu. The party also has members in the state assemblies of seven other states.

The most important group in the CPI(M) is the All-India Party Congress. But between these big meetings, the Central Committee makes the main decisions. The Central Committee chooses a smaller group called the Polit Bureau. This group includes the General Secretary. The Polit Bureau handles the Central Committee's work when it's not meeting. It can make important political and organizational choices.

What the Party's Name Means

The official Hindi name for CPI(M) is भारत की कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी (मार्क्सवादी). This means 'Communist Party of India (Marxist)'. But in the news, it's often called मार्क्सवादी कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी, or MaKaPa. When the party first split, people called it names like 'Left Communist Party'. This was because the original CPI was seen as 'rightist' for supporting the government back then. In the 1965 Kerala elections, the party officially chose the name 'Communist Party of India (Marxist)'. It then got its election symbol from the Election Commission of India.

How the Party Started

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) came from a split in the original Communist Party of India (CPI). The CPI was formed in 1925. After World War II, the CPI gained a lot of support. It even led armed uprisings in places like Telangana and Tripura. However, the party later decided to work within the Parliament system instead of using armed revolution.

India, led by Jawaharlal Nehru's Indian National Congress party, became close with the Soviet Union. The Soviet government wanted Indian communists to be less critical of the Indian government. They wanted them to support the Congress governments. But many in the CPI felt India was still a very unequal country. They believed that fighting for the working class was more important than helping Soviet foreign policy. Also, the Congress party didn't like political competition. In 1959, the central government even removed the CPI-led government in Kerala. This was the only state government not run by Congress at the time.

Party History

How CPI(M) Was Formed (1964)

The main reason for the split in the CPI was different ideas about India's situation. They also disagreed on how the party should operate. One group wanted to follow the Soviet Union's ideas. The other, which became CPI(M), wanted to create its own path for socialism in India. This group believed the Indian rich class was not helping the country's progress. They wanted a "people's democratic revolution." The other group called this "left-wing" faction "pro-Chinese" and "anti-national."

Many CPI leaders were put in jail, accused of being pro-Chinese. Thousands of communists were held without a trial. The CPI(M) has always strongly supported workers' rights. They demand fair pay, safe workplaces, and the right to form unions.

In 1962, the CPI's General Secretary, Ajoy Ghosh, passed away. After his death, Shripad Amrit Dange became the party chairman, and E.M.S. Namboodiripad became general secretary. This was an attempt to find a middle ground.

In April 1964, 32 members walked out of a CPI National Council meeting. These members, who were on the left, held their own meeting in Tenali, Andhra Pradesh. About 146 people attended, saying they represented 100,000 CPI members. They decided to hold their own party congress later that year. At this meeting, a large picture of Chinese leader Mao Zedong was displayed. This showed their different views from the main CPI.

The left-wing group then held meetings across states. Some members wanted even more radical changes. In October 1964, the CPI left-wing held its own congress in Kolkata. The group that met there later called itself the 'Communist Party of India (Marxist)'. This was to show they were different from the CPI. They also created their own political plan. Puchalapalli Sundarayya was chosen as the party's first general secretary. The CPI(M) said that 422 delegates attended their congress. They claimed these delegates represented 104,421 CPI members, which was 60% of the total party.

Early Years of CPI(M) (1964–1966)

The CPI(M) started in a difficult political time. When it held its first congress, many of its leaders were already in jail. In December 1964, over a thousand more CPI(M) members were arrested. In 1965, more arrests happened in West Bengal. This was because the party protested against higher transport fares and food shortages. Big strikes were held in August 1965 and March/April 1966. Some people died during clashes with the police in March 1966.

Mass arrests of CPI(M) members also happened in Kerala in 1965. In Bihar, the party called for a general strike in Patna in August 1965. This was to protest against the state government. Police used violence against the strikers.

The first meeting of the CPI(M) Central Committee was held in June 1966. It was delayed because many elected members were in jail. The committee decided the party should try to form alliances with other non-reactionary parties in West Bengal. This idea was criticized by the Communist Party of China and some within the CPI(M). So, in October 1966, the party changed its mind. It decided to only form alliances with specific left parties.

Naxalbari Uprising (1967)

At this time, the party faced a challenge. Some members were worried that the party leadership was focusing too much on elections. Events in China also influenced the party. In West Bengal, a peasant uprising began in Naxalbari. It was led by some CPI(M) leaders. These leaders saw the uprising as the start of a revolution in India. The Communist Party of China praised the Naxalbari movement. This caused a sudden break in relations between CPI(M) and the Chinese party.

The Naxalbari movement was stopped by the West Bengal government. The CPI(M) was a major part of this government. The radical members who supported the uprising later left CPI(M). They formed a new group. This split caused divisions across the country. The CPI(M) and the rebels, called Naxalites, soon had a violent conflict.

Governments Removed in West Bengal and Kerala (1967–1970)

In November 1967, the central government removed the United Front government in West Bengal. This caused a 48-hour general strike across the state. The state was then put under direct rule by the President. The CPI(M) protested against this action.

The 8th Party Congress of CPI(M) was held in Kochi, Kerala, in December 1968. During this meeting, a terrible event happened in Kizhavenmani, Tamil Nadu. Many Dalit people were killed. This was a revenge attack from landlords. It happened after the Dalit workers took part in a CPI(M)-led protest for higher wages.

In Kerala, the United Front government also had to leave office in October 1969. This happened when other parties in the alliance resigned. E.M.S. Namboodiripad resigned as Chief Minister. A new government was formed, supported by the Indian National Congress.

Elections in West Bengal and Kerala

New elections were held in West Bengal in 1969. The CPI(M) won 80 out of 97 seats it competed for. It became the largest party in the state. But with support from other parties, Ajoy Mukherjee became Chief Minister. He resigned in March 1970 after other parties formed an agreement against CPI(M). The CPI(M) tried to form a new government, but the central government put the state under President's Rule again.

Land Reform Efforts

India's first major land reform happened in West Bengal in 1967. It was led by two Communist leaders, Hare Krishna Konar and Benoy Choudhury. Hare Krishna Konar played a big role in taking extra land from large landowners. This land was then given to the state. About one million acres of good farmland were collected. Later, this land was given to 2.4 million farmers who had no land or were very poor.

After 1970, the land reform efforts stopped for seven years. But when the Left Front came to power in West Bengal in 1977, they restarted it. This effort was renamed Operation Barga. It helped many people. Officials met with farmers to hear their problems. This helped make sure the land reform truly benefited the poor farmers.

Formation of CITU (1970)

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) is a big national trade union in India. It is a leading part of the Indian trade union movement. Today, CITU is one of the largest groups of workers in India. It is very strong in Tripura. It also has a good presence in West Bengal, Kerala, and Kanpur.

In 2015, CITU had about 6,040,000 members. Tapan Kumar Sen is the General Secretary, and K. Hemalata is the president of CITU. K. Hemalata was the first woman president of CITU. CITU publishes a monthly magazine called WORKING CLASS. CITU is connected to the World Federation of Trade Unions internationally.

War in East Pakistan (1971–1972)

In 1971, Bangladesh (which was then called East Pakistan) declared its independence from Pakistan. The Pakistani army tried to stop the uprising. India stepped in to help the Bangladeshi rebels. Millions of Bangladeshi refugees came to India, especially to West Bengal.

At that time, communist groups in Bangladesh were divided. The CPI(M) worked to help create a new political group for Bangladeshi leftists who had come to Calcutta. In late 1971, three small groups joined together to form the Bangladesh Communist Party (Leninist). This new party became a sister party to CPI(M) in Bangladesh.

Emergency Rule (1972–1977)

In 1975, the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, declared a State of Emergency. She said it was because of internal problems. This meant elections were stopped, and the government could rule by special orders. People's basic freedoms were limited. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) was one of the main groups that opposed this Emergency. During this time, there were many strict actions and political repression. This was especially severe in West Bengal. Members of the CPI(M)'s labor union were among the first to be arrested. Other CPI(M) members went into hiding.

The CPI(M) supported a movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan (JP). They also discussed forming a united front with other parties. This led to the creation of the Janata Party. After the Emergency ended, the CPI(M) joined an election alliance with the Janata Party. In the 1977 Indian general election, this alliance won a huge victory.

Left Front Governments (1977 Onwards)

West Bengal

The CPI(M) in West Bengal, led by Jyoti Basu, ran in the 1977 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election. They formed the Left Front coalition. The Left Front won a surprising victory, taking 230 out of 290 seats. The CPI(M) itself won enough seats to rule alone. Jyoti Basu became the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

From 1977 to 2011, the CPI(M)-led Left Front won seven elections in a row. Jyoti Basu was Chief Minister for 23 years, making him the longest-serving Chief Minister in that position. In the 2000s, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee took over leadership. The Left Front won elections in 2001 and 2006 under him. He was Chief Minister for 11 years.

However, after protests in Nandigram and Singur in the late 2000s, the Left Front lost the 2011 election. This ended their 34-year rule. This was the longest time any democratically elected communist government had ruled anywhere in the world. After the 2021 elections, the Left Front no longer has any members in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

Kerala

After the CPI split in 1964, important communist leaders in Kerala, like E.M.S. Namboodiripad and A. K. Gopalan, joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist). In the 1965 elections, the CPI(M) became the largest party with 40 seats. But no single party could form a government.

In the 1967 Kerala assembly election, both CPI(M) and CPI joined with smaller parties to form a United Front. This front won the election with a record 113 seats. They formed a government led by E.M.S. Namboodiripad.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, two main alliances formed: the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by CPI(M) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by the Indian National Congress. These alliances have become very stable. The LDF first came to power in the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1980. This was under E. K. Nayanar, who later became the longest-serving Chief Minister of Kerala. Since 1980, power has usually switched between these two alliances.

However, in 2016, the LDF won the election. Then, in a historic event, they were re-elected in 2021. This was the first time in 40 years that a ruling government in Kerala was re-elected for a second full term. Pinarayi Vijayan is the first Chief Minister of Kerala to be re-elected after serving a full five-year term.

Tripura

Under Nripen Chakraborty, the CPI(M)-led Left Front won the 1977 assembly elections. Nripen Chakraborty became the first CPI(M) Chief Minister of Tripura. The Left Front was re-elected in 1983 and governed for 10 years. In 1988, the CPI(M) was out of power for five years, even though it was the largest party.

In the 1993 assembly elections, the Left Front won again. Dasarath Deb became the Chief Minister. From 1993 to 2013, the Left Front won five elections in a row. Since the 1998 assembly elections, Manik Sarkar was the Chief Minister of Tripura for 20 years. This made him the longest-serving Chief Minister in Tripura's history. Under his leadership, the Left Front won elections in 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013. Currently, CPI(M) is the main opposition party in the Tripura Legislative Assembly.

The CPI(M) is the strongest party in the Left Front coalition. Other members include the Communist Party of India, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, the All India Forward Bloc, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation.

International Communist Meetings

In 2009, the CPI(M) hosted the 11th International Communist Parties Meeting in New Delhi. This big meeting was attended by 57 communist parties from 48 different countries.

Leadership and Organization

Party Leaders

The current General Secretary of CPI(M) is Sitaram Yechury. In April 2018, the 22nd party congress of CPI(M) chose a Central Committee with 95 members. This included special invitees and a Central Control Commission. The Central Committee then elected a 17-member Politburo. The Politburo is a smaller group that makes important decisions for the party.

Politburo Members

No.	Portrait	Name	State	From (Year)
1		Sitaram Yechury (General Secretary)	Andhra Pradesh	1992
2		Prakash Karat (Former General Secretary)	New Delhi	1992
3		Manik Sarkar (Former Chief Minister of Tripura)	Tripura	1998
4		Pinarayi Vijayan (Chief Minister of Kerala)	Kerala	2002
5		Brinda Karat	New Delhi	2005
6		B. V. Raghavulu	Andhra Pradesh	2005
7		Surjya Kanta Mishra	West Bengal	2012
8		M. A. Baby	Kerala	2012
9		Mohammed Salim	West Bengal	2015
10		Subhashini Ali	Uttar Pradesh	2015
11		G. Ramakrishnan	Tamil Nadu	2015
12		Tapan Kumar Sen	West Bengal	2018
13		Nilotpal Basu	West Bengal	2018
14		M. V. Govindan	Kerala	2022
15		Ram Chandra Dome	West Bengal	2022
16		Ashok Dhawale	Maharashtra	2022
17		A. Vijayaraghavan	Kerala	2022

The 23rd party congress added Ramchandra Dome, Ashok Dhawale, and A. Vijayraghavan to the Politburo.

General Secretary Role

The party's rules say that no one can be the General Secretary for more than three full terms. A "full term" means the time between two Party Congresses. In special cases, someone can be re-elected for a fourth term if the Central Committee agrees by a three-fourths majority. But they can never be elected for another term after the fourth.

List of General Secretaries

S. No.	Term	Portrait	Name	State	References
1	1964–1978		Puchalapalli Sundarayya	Andhra Pradesh
	After the Communist Party of India split, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was formed. Puchalapalli Sundarayya was chosen as its first General Secretary.
2	1978–1992		E. M. S. Namboodiripad	Kerala
	E. M. S. Namboodiripad, who was Chief Minister of Kerala twice, became the General Secretary at the 10th party Congress.
3	1992–2005		Harkishan Singh Surjeet	Punjab
	Harkishan Singh Surjeet became the General Secretary of the CPI-M in 1992. He held this important position until 2005, when he retired due to health reasons.
4	2005–2015		Prakash Karat	Kerala
	Prakash Karat was elected as the General Secretary at the 18th party Congress. He was re-elected and served until 2015.
5	2015–Incumbent		Sitaram Yechury	Andhra Pradesh
	Sitaram Yechury was first elected as the party General Secretary in April 2015. He was re-elected in April 2018 and again in April 2022.

Main Organizations Connected to CPI(M)

• Democratic Youth Federation of India (for young people)
• Students' Federation of India (for students)
• Centre of Indian Trade Unions (for workers)
• All India Kisan Sabha (for farmers)
• All India Agricultural Workers Union (for farm workers)
• All India Democratic Women's Association (for women)
• Balasangam (for children)
• Bank Employees Federation of India (for bank employees)
• Ganamukti Parishad, Tripura (a tribal organization)
• Tribal Youth Federation, Tripura (for tribal youth)
• Adivasi Kshema Samithi, Kerala (a tribal welfare group)

International Connections

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is connected to the IMCWP. It is also part of "Unity for Peace and Socialism" with the Communist Party of Britain.

Party Presence in States

As of 2022, the CPI(M) leads the state government in Kerala. Pinarayi Vijayan is the Chief Minister there. In Tamil Nadu, the CPI(M) has 2 members in the assembly. They are part of the SPA government led by M. K. Stalin. The Left Front, led by CPI(M), ruled West Bengal for 34 years (1977–2011). They also ruled Tripura for 30 years, including 25 years in a row (1993–2018). The 34-year rule in West Bengal is the longest for any democratically elected communist government.

Currently, CPI(M) has three members of Parliament (MPs) in the Lok Sabha. Their highest number of MPs was 43 in 2004. At that time, they got 5.66% of the votes. They supported the Indian National Congress-led government but were not part of it. In 2008, they stopped supporting the government because of disagreements over a nuclear deal with the US.

Current State Governments with CPI(M)

Sr No.	State	Govt Since	Chief Minister				Alliance Name	Parties in Alliance		Seats in Assembly
			Name	Party		Party seats
CPI(M) Government
1	Kerala	26 May 2016	Pinarayi Vijayan		CPI(M)	62	Left Democratic Front (Kerala)		CPI (17)	99 / 140
									KC(M) (5)
									JD(S) (2)
									NCP (2)
									KC(B) (1)
									INL (1)
									LJD (1)
									C(S) (1)
									JKC (1)
									IND (6)
Alliance Government
2	Tamil Nadu	7 May 2021	M. K. Stalin		DMK	133	Secular Progressive Alliance		INC(18)	159 / 234
								VCK (4)
								CPI (2)
								CPI(M) (2)

Current Seats in State Assemblies

Seats won by CPI(M) in state legislative assemblies
State legislative assembly	Last election	Contested seats	Seats won	Alliance		Result
Assam Legislative Assembly	2021	2	1 / 126		United Opposition Forum	Opposition
Bihar Legislative Assembly	2020	4	2 / 243		Mahagathbandhan	Opposition
Kerala Legislative Assembly	2021	77	62 / 140		Left Democratic Front	Government
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly	2019	8	1 / 288		Maha Vikas Aghadi	Opposition
Odisha Legislative Assembly	2019	5	1 / 147	N/A		Others
Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly	2021	6	2 / 234		Secular Progressive Alliance	Government
Tripura Legislative Assembly	2023	43	11 / 60		Left Front	Opposition

Presence in Different States

Andhra Pradesh

After the CPI(M) was formed, it won seats in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly many times. For example, it won 9 seats in 1967 and 15 seats in 1994. In 2014, CPI(M) won one seat, which later became part of Telangana state. However, in 2019, CPI(M) did not win any seats. The party has also won many local elections. In 1988, Tammineni Veerabhadram, a CPI(M) politician, got a lot of votes in a Lok Sabha election.

CPI(M) has also had members in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament) from Andhra Pradesh. These include Moturu Hanumantha Rao (1988-1994) and Penumalli Madhu (2004-2010).

Assam

CPI(M) has some presence in Assam. It was part of the state government once. CPI(M) first entered the Assam Legislative Assembly in 1978, winning 11 seats. It won seats in several later elections too. In 1996, CPI(M) won two seats and joined a coalition government. But in 2001, they didn't win any seats. In 2021, CPI(M) won one seat, making a comeback. This was in the Sorbhog area, which is known as a left-wing stronghold.

CPI(M) has also won Lok Sabha seats from Assam. Nurul Huda was elected in 1974. The party won one seat in 1980, 1991, and 1996.

Bihar

CPI(M) in Bihar has strong roots in farmer movements. Communists were active in these movements since the 1920s. The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), formed in 1936, was very active in Bihar. Its members were mostly communists. This helped build a base for communists in Bihar. Leaders like Sahajanand Saraswati were important.

CPI(M) won seats in the Bihar Legislative Assembly many times, like 18 seats in 1972. After not winning seats in 2010 and 2015, the party won two seats in the 2020 elections. CPI(M) fought that election with the Rastriya Janata Dal and did well. In August 2022, CPI(M) supported a coalition government in Bihar but did not join it.

Chhattisgarh

CPI(M) won its first elections in Chhattisgarh in 2019. This was in local municipal elections, where they won two wards.

Gujarat

CPI(M) has a small presence in Gujarat. The party has never won any state assembly or Lok Sabha seats there. However, its student wing, SFI, won elections at the Central University of Gujarat in 2020. This was a big win because the university is usually a stronghold for right-wing groups.

Himachal Pradesh

CPI(M) is present in areas like Summer Hill and Theog in Himachal Pradesh. Its student wing, SFI, is strong at Himachal Pradesh University. CPI(M) had members in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1967 and 1993. In 1993, Rakesh Singha won a seat. The party has also won many seats in local municipal and village elections.

In 2012, CPI(M) won the Mayor and Deputy Mayor positions in Shimla Municipal Corporation. In the 2017 state election, CPI(M) won an assembly seat after 24 years. Rakesh Singha won the Theog seat. In 2021, CPI(M) increased its wins in local elections, with many members elected to various positions.

Karnataka

CPI(M) has not won any seats in Karnataka since 2004. Before that, it won one seat in 2004 and 1994. It won two seats in 1985 and 1983 in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

Kerala

Kerala has a very strong presence of CPI(M) and other left parties. CPI(M) has had its most election success in Kerala, especially after 2011. After the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, it made history by forming the government twice in a row. This broke a 40-year pattern in the state. CPI(M) currently has 62 seats in the assembly.

In Kerala, CPI(M) has focused on helping poor people. This includes giving out cards for almost free basic food. They also set a minimum wage that is twice the national average. They have also invested a lot in education and health. The party has also greatly developed the panchayat system. These are village councils where everyone can take part in the state's development.

Madhya Pradesh

CPI(M) has only entered the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly once. This was in 1993, when it won 1 seat.

Maharashtra

Currently, the party has one member in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. This is Comrade Vinod Nikole, an Adivasi (tribal) leader. He won the Dahanu seat. This seat has been won by CPI(M) almost every time since 1978.

Manipur

CPI(M) has never won a single seat in Manipur since it first ran in the 1995 state election. Currently, CPI(M) is part of the Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance. This alliance is led by the Indian National Congress.

Odisha

At present, CPI(M) has only one member in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. This member is from the Bonai area.

Punjab

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Punjab has a long history. It is linked to the state's fight for workers' rights, land reforms, and social fairness. The party has always supported land reforms, workers' rights, and equality. It has gained support among poor people in both rural and city areas. The party has been active in many social and political movements. Its goal is to help the disadvantaged parts of society and improve their lives.

In the 1980s, Punjab faced a crisis with the rise of the Khalistan movement. This movement wanted a separate Sikh state. The CPI(M) opposed this movement. They stood for a united India. In the late 1990s, the CPI(M) faced internal divisions. This led to a split, and a new party was formed. This split affected the party's organization and its presence in elections.

Over the years, the CPI(M) has had less success in elections in Punjab. Changes in politics and less interest in communist ideas have reduced its influence. Despite these challenges, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Punjab continues to work for workers' and farmers' rights. It also takes part in social and political movements.

Rajasthan

In the 2008 Rajasthan election, CPI(M) won three seats. In 2013, CPI(M) joined an alliance called Loktantrik Morcha. However, they did not win any seats in the 2013 election. The party made a comeback in 2018, winning two seats out of 28 they competed for.

Tamil Nadu

In the 1989 Tamil Nadu election, CPI(M) was part of an alliance and won 15 seats. In 2006, CPI(M) was part of an alliance led by DMK. The party competed in 13 seats and won 9. In the next election, CPI(M) joined another alliance and won 10 out of 12 seats. But the party did not win any seats in 2016.

In the 2019 Indian general election, CPI(M) won two Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu. These were from Coimbatore and Madurai. In the 2021 state election, CPI(M) made a comeback by winning two seats. In 2022, CPI(M) won many seats in local municipal elections. T. Nagarajan of CPI(M) became the Deputy Mayor in Madurai Municipal Corporation.

Telangana

In 2014, CPI(M) won one seat in Andhra Pradesh that later became part of Telangana. However, in 2018, CPI(M) did not win any seats. In a by-election in 2022, CPI(M) supported a candidate from another party. In 2023, CPI(M) will run in the Telangana election with an alliance.

Election Results

State Assembly Election Results

Election Year	Overall votes	% of overall votes	Total seats	seats won/ seats contested	+/- in seats	+/- in vote share	Sitting side
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
2019	1,01,071	0.32%	175	0 / 7	1		N/A
2014	4,07,376	0.84%	175	1 / 68		0.59	N/A
2009	6,03,407	1.43%	294	1 / 18	8	0.49	N/A
2004	6,56,721	1.84%	294	9 / 14	7	0.14	N/A
1999	5,67,761	1.70%	294	2 / 48	14	1.26	N/A
1994	9,23,204	2.96%	294	15 / 16	9	0.50	N/A
1989	7,07,686	2.96%	294	6 / 15	5	0.15	N/A
1985	5,30,349	2.69%	294	11 / 11	6	0.20	N/A
Assam Legislative Assembly
2021	160,758	0.84%	126	1 / 2	1	0.29	Opposition
2016	93,506	0.55%	126	0 / 19			N/A
Bihar Legislative Assembly
2020	274,155	0.65%	243	2 / 4	2	0.04%	Government
2015	232,149	0.61%	243	0 / 43		0.21	N/A
Gujarat Legislative Assembly
2022	10,647	0.03%	182	0 / 9		0.01%	N/A
Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly
2022	27,812	0.66%	68	0 / 11	1	0.81%
2017	55,558	1.5%	68	1 / 14	1	0.1%	N/A
Kerala Legislative Assembly
2021	5,288,502	25.38%	140	62 / 77	4	1.14%	Government
2016	5,365,472	26.7%	140	59 / 84	14	1.48	Government
2011	4,921,354	28.18%	140	45 / 84	16	2.27	Opposition
2006	4,732,381	30.45%	140	61 / 84	37	6.60	Government
2001	3,752,976	23.85%	140	24 / 74	16	2.26	Opposition
1996	3,078,723	21.59%	140	40 / 62	12	0.15	Government
1991	3,082,354	21.74%	140	28 / 64	10	2.12	Opposition
1987	2,912,999	22.86%	140	38 / 70	12	4.06	Government
1982	1,798,198	18.80%	140	26 / 51	9	0.55	Opposition
1980	1,846,312	19.35%	140	35 / 50	18	2.83	Government
1977	1,946,051	22.18%	140	17 / 68	12	1.65	Opposition
1970	1,794,213	23.83%	140	29 / 73	23	0.32	Opposition
1967	1,476,456	23.51%	140	52 / 59	12	3.64	Government
1965	1,257,869	19.87%	140	40 / 73	New	New	N/A
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
2019	204,933	0.37%	288	1 / 8		0.02%	Opposition
2014	207,933	0.39%	288	1 / 20		0.21%	N/A
2009	270,052	0.60%	288	1 / 20	2	0.02%	N/A
Odisha Legislative Assembly
2019	70,119	0.32%	147	1 / 8		N/A	N/A
2014	80,274	0.40%	147	1 / 8		N/A	N/A
Punjab Legislative Assembly
2022	9,503	0.06%	117	0 / 14	N/A	N/A	N/A
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
2023	382,387	0.96%	200	0 / 17	2	0.24	N/A
2018	434,210	1.2%	200	2 / 28	2	0.33	N/A
2013	629,002	0.9%	200	0 / 38	3	0.7	N/A
Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
2021	3,90,819	0.85%	234	2 / 6	2	0.13	Government
2016	3,07,303	0.72%	234	0 / 25	10	1.58	N/A
2011	8,88,364	2.40%	234	10 / 12	1	0.3	Government
2006	8,72,674	2.70%	234	9 / 13	10	0.33	Government
Telangana Legislative Assembly
2023	52,364	0.22%	119	0 / 19	2	0.18%	N/A
2018	91,099	0.40%	119	2 / 28	1	N/A	N/A
Tripura Legislative Assembly
2023	6,22,829	24.62%	60	11 / 43	5	17.6	Opposition
2018	9,93,605	42.22%	60	16 / 57	33	5.51	Opposition
2013	10,59,327	48.11%	60	49 / 57	3	0.01	Government
2008	9,03,009	48.01%	60	46 / 56	8	1.10	Government
2003	7,11,119	46.82%	60	38 / 55		1.30	Government
1998	6,21,804	45.49%	60	38 / 55	6	0.80	Government
1993	5,99,943	44.78%	60	44 / 51	18	0.40	Government
1988	5,20,697	45.82%	60	26 / 55	11	0.10	Opposition
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly
2022	5617	0.01%	403	0 / 1	N/A	0.03	N/A
West Bengal Legislative Assembly
2021	2,837,276	4.73%	294	0 / 136	26	15.02	N/A
2016	10,802,058	19.75%	294	26 / 148	14	10.35	Opposition
2011	14,330,061	30.08%	294	40 / 213	136	7.05	Opposition
2006	14,652,200	37.13%	294	176 / 212	33	0.54	Government
2001	13,402,603	36.59%	294	143 / 211	14	1.33	Government
1996	13,670,198	37.16%	294	153 / 213	32	1.05	Government
1991	11,418,822	36.87%	294	182 / 204	2	2.43	Government
1987	10,285,723	39.12%	294	187 / 212	13	0.89	Government
1982	8,655,371	38.49%	294	174 / 209	4	3.03	Government
1977	5,080,828	35.46%	294	178 / 224	164	8.01	Government

Indian General Election Results

Performance of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Loksabha elections

Year	Legislature	Party Secretary	Total constituencies	Seats won / contested	Change in seats	Total votes	Per. of votes	Change in vote %	Party Rank	Outcome
1967	4th Lok Sabha	Puchalapalli Sundarayya	520	19 / 59	New	6,246,522	4.28 %	New	6th	Opposition
1971	5th Lok Sabha		518	25 / 85	6	7,510,089	5.12 %	0.84%	2nd	Main Opposition
1977	6th Lok Sabha		542	22 / 53	3	8,113,659	4.29 %	0.83%	3rd	Opposition
1980	7th Lok Sabha	E. M. S. Namboodiripad	529(542*)	37 / 64	15	12,352,331	6.24 %	1.95%	3rd	Opposition
1984	8th Lok Sabha		541	22 / 64	15	14,272,526	5.72 %	0.52%	3rd	Opposition
1989	9th Lok Sabha		529	33 / 64	11	19,691,309	6.55 %	0.83	4th	Outside Support
1991	10th Lok Sabha		534	35 / 63	2	17,074,699	6.14 %	0.41%	4th	Opposition
1996	11th Lok Sabha	Harkishan Singh Surjeet	543	32 / 75	3	20,496,810	6.12 %	0.02%	4th	Outside Support
1998	12th Lok Sabha		543	32 / 71		18,991,867	5.16 %	0.96%	3rd	Opposition
1999	13th Lok Sabha		543	33 / 72	1	19,695,767	5.40 %	0.24%	3rd	Opposition
2004	14th Lok Sabha		543	43 / 69	10	22,070,614	5.66 %	0.26%	3rd	Outside Support
2009	15th Lok Sabha	Prakash Karat	543	16 / 82	27	22,219,111	5.33 %	0.33%	8th	Opposition
2014	16th Lok Sabha		543	9 / 93	7	17,986,773	3.24 %	2.09%	9th	Opposition
2019	17th Lok Sabha	Sitaram Yechury	543	3 / 69	6	10,744,908	1.75 %	1.49%	16th	Opposition
2024	18th Lok Sabha		543	4 / 52	1	11,342,553	1.76%	0.01%	14th	Opposition

1967 General Election

In the 1967 Lok Sabha elections, the CPI(M) had 59 candidates. Nineteen of them were elected. The party received 6.2 million votes, which was 4.28% of all votes in India. At the same time, state elections were held. The CPI(M) became a major party in Kerala and West Bengal. In Kerala, a government led by E.M.S. Namboodiripad was formed. In West Bengal, the CPI(M) was a strong force behind the government that was formed.

1971 General Election

The 1971 Lok Sabha election happened during the Bangladesh War. Indira Gandhi was becoming a popular national leader. The CPI(M) competed in 85 seats and won 25. The party got over 7.5 million votes, which was 5.12% of the national vote. Twenty of these seats were from West Bengal, two from Kerala, two from Tripura, and one from Andhra Pradesh.

In the same year, state elections were held in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha. In West Bengal, CPI(M) won 113 seats out of 241. In Tamil Nadu, CPI(M) did not win any seats. In Odisha, the party won two seats.

1977 General Election

In the 1977 Lok Sabha election, the CPI(M) had candidates in 53 seats across 14 states and union territories. It won 4.29% of the votes. The party won 17 seats from West Bengal, three from Maharashtra, and one each from Odisha and Punjab. This election happened soon after the Emergency. It showed that many people were upset with Indira Gandhi's strict rule. A group of opposition parties formed against the government. The CPI(M) supported this group by not running candidates against them.

1980 General Elections

The government formed after 1977 did not last long. So, India had another Lok Sabha election in 1980. In this election, the CPI(M) gained more votes and won more seats than before. The party ran in 64 seats across 15 states and union territories. It won 37 seats in total. This included 28 seats in West Bengal, seven in Kerala, and two in Tripura. The party became the main representative of the people in Tripura in this election.

2014 Lok Sabha Election

Nine CPI(M) candidates were elected in the 2014 Indian general election. Two independent candidates supported by CPI(M) also won. This was fewer than the 16 seats they won before. The CPI(M)'s national vote share also dropped from 5.33% in 2009 to 3.28% in 2014. This was a big drop. CPI(M) did not win any seats in Tamil Nadu. Its seats in West Bengal also went down from 9 to 2. This was because of strong competition from another party. Kerala was the only state where CPI(M) gained one seat.

2019 General Election

The CPI(M) ran in 69 seats across the country in the 2019 general election. They won three seats. One seat was won in Kerala, where the CPI(M) leads the state government. The other two seats were won in Tamil Nadu. There, the CPI(M) was part of an alliance led by the DMK party.

2024 General Election

The CPI(M) ran in 52 seats across the country in the 2024 general election. They won four seats. One seat was won in Kerala, one in Rajasthan, and two more in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, they were part of the DMK-led alliance.

Indian Presidential Elections

2002 Presidential Election

In the 2002 Presidential election, the Left Front chose Captain Lakshmi Sehgal as their candidate. She ran against A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who was the candidate for the ruling party. The CPI(M) leaders said they were putting forward an 'Alternative Candidate'. They knew Captain Lakshmi would not win. This was because the ruling party and the Indian National Congress opposed her. But the Left wanted to use this election to bring up important national issues. They wanted people to hear about these issues. Captain Lakshmi herself said that this election showed the Indian Left's opposition to the ruling party's politics. It also showed their support for religious minorities who had suffered.

2012 Presidential Election

In the 2012 presidential election, CPI(M) supported Pranab Mukherjee for president. However, they wanted a non-Congress candidate for the position of Vice-President.

Chief Ministers from CPI(M)

Key

Denotes the person is the incumbent chief minister

No.	Name	Portrait	Term of office		Days in office
Kerala
1	E. M. S. Namboodiripad		6 March 1967	1 November 1969	2 years 240 days
2	E. K. Nayanar		25 January 1980	20 October 1981	10 years 353 days
			26 March 1987	23 June 1991
			20 May 1996	16 May 2001
3	V. S. Achuthanandan		18 May 2006	17 May 2011	4 years 364 days
4	Pinarayi Vijayan		25 May 2016	20 May 2021	9 years, 28 days
			20 May 2021	Incumbent
Tripura
1	Nripen Chakraborty		5 January 1978	4 February 1983	10 years 31 days
			5 February 1983	5 February 1988
2	Dasarath Deb		10 April 1993	11 March 1998	4 years, 335 days
3	Manik Sarkar		11 March 1998	26 February 2003	19 years 363 days
			27 February 2003	23 February 2008
			24 February 2008	14 February 2013
			15 February 2013	8 March 2018
West Bengal
1	Jyoti Basu		21 June 1977	23 May 1982	23 years 137 days
			24 May 1982	29 March 1987
			30 March 1987	18 June 1991
			19 June 1991	15 May 1996
			16 May 1996	5 November 2000
2	Buddhadeb Bhattacharya		6 November 2000	14 May 2001	10 years 188 days
			15 May 2001	17 May 2006
			18 May 2006	13 May 2011

Rajya Sabha Members

Current Rajya Sabha members from CPI(M)
Name	State	Appointment date	Retirement date
John Brittas	Kerala	4 April 2021	23 April 2027
V. Sivadasan	Kerala	24 April 2021	23 April 2027
Elamaram Kareem	Kerala	2 July 2018	1 July 2024
A.A. Rahim	Kerala	3 April 2022	2 April 2028
Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya	West Bengal	3 April 2020	2 April 2026

• Bold indicates CPI(M) leader in Rajya Sabha

Lok Sabha Members

Current Lok Sabha (18th) members from CPI(M)
Name	Constituency	State
K. Radhakrishnan	Alathur	Kerala
Sachithanantham R	Dindigul	Tamil Nadu
S. Venkatesan	Madurai	Tamil Nadu
Amra Ram	Sikar	Rajasthan

• Bold indicates CPI(M) leader in Lok Sabha

Parties That Split from CPI(M)

Many parties have been formed after splitting from the CPI(M). Some of these include:

• CPI(ML)L
• CPI(ML)RF
• RMPI
• MCPI(U)
• PDS in West Bengal
• Janganotantrik Morcha in Tripura
• Lok Sangharsh Morcha in Punjab
• OCP in Odisha
• CMP(J) in Kerala

Images for kids

• 

  CPI(M) flag

• 

  CPI(M) election symbol

See Also

In Spanish: Partido Comunista de la India (Marxista) para niños

• Communist Party of India (Marxist), West Bengal
• Communist Party of India (Marxist), Kerala
• Communist Party of India (Marxist), Tripura
• List of political parties in India
• List of communist parties in India
• List of communist parties
• Left Democratic Front (Kerala)
• Left Front (West Bengal)
• Left Front (Tripura)
• Politics of India