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Communist Party of India (Marxist)

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Communist Party of India (Marxist)

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbr. CPI(M)) is a Marxist–Leninist political party in India. It is the largest communist party in India in terms of membership and electoral seats, and one of the six national parties of India. The party was founded through a splitting from the Communist Party of India in 1964; the CPI(M) quickly became the dominant faction. The 34 years of CPI(M)-led Left Front rule in West Bengal was the longest-serving democratically elected communist-led government in the world. It emerged as the third-largest party of the parliament in the 2004 national election. Currently, CPI(M) has representation in the legislative assemblies of eight states. The All-India Party Congress is the supreme authority of the CPI(M). However, during the time between two party congresses, the Central Committee is the highest decision-making body. The Central Committee shall elect from among its members a Polit Bureau including the General Secretary. The Polit Bureau carries on the work of the Central Committee between its two sessions and has the right to take political and organisational decisions in between two meetings of the Central Committee. CPI(M) had a total income of ₹1 billion in fiscal year 2021–22. The party reported zero funding from electoral bonds.

Infobox

Abbreviation
CPI(M), CPIM, CPM
General Secretary
M. A. Baby
Presidium
Politburo
Rajya Sabha Leader
John Brittas
Lok Sabha Leader
K Radhakrishnan
Founder
List P. Ramamurthi M. Basavapunnaiah E. M. S. Namboodiripad H. S. Surjeet Promode Dasgupta Jyoti Basu H. K. Konar P. Sundarayya B. T. Ranadive A. K. Gopalan
Founded
7 November 1964 (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 (English) Loklahar (Hindi) Ganashakti (Bengali) Daily Desher Katha (Bengali) Deshabhimani (Malayalam) Theekkathir (Tamil) Prajasakti (Telugu) Nava Telangana (Telugu) Kisan Mazdoor (Urdu)
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
1,019,009 (2024)
Ideology
Marxism–Leninism Socialism Secularism
Political position
Left-wing
International affiliation
IMCWP
Colours
Red
ECI Status
National Party
Alliance
Alliances INDIA (National) SPA (Tamil Nadu and Puducherry) LF (Tripura) LF (West Bengal) LDF (Kerala) ASM (Assam) SDF (Tripura) LF (West Bengal) MGB (Bihar) MVA (Maharashtra) SP (Uttar Pradesh) MPSA (Manipur)
Seats in Rajya Sabha
3 / 245
Seats in Lok Sabha
4 / 543
Seats in State legislatures
43 / 4,036 (Total) List 26 / 140(Kerala) 10 / 60 (Tripura) 2 / 234 (Tamil Nadu) 1 / 294 (West Bengal) 1 / 243 (Bihar) 1 / 90 (Jammu & Kashmir) 1 / 147 (Odisha) 1 / 288 (Maharashtra)
Number of states and union territories in government
0 / 31

Tables

· Leadership and organisation › Politburo members
M. A. Baby
M. A. Baby
Name
M. A. Baby
Note
General Secretary Member of Central Secretariat Former Minister for Education and Culture in Kerala Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
B. V. Raghavulu
B. V. Raghavulu
Name
B. V. Raghavulu
Note
Member of Central Secretariat Former Andhra Pradesh State Secretary
Pinarayi Vijayan
Pinarayi Vijayan
Name
Pinarayi Vijayan
Note
Member of Kerala State Secretariat Chief Minister of Kerala
Tapan Sen
Tapan Sen
Name
Tapan Sen
Note
CITU General Secretary Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Nilotpal Basu
Nilotpal Basu
Name
Nilotpal Basu
Note
Former SFI General Secretary Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
A. Vijayaraghavan
A. Vijayaraghavan
Name
A. Vijayaraghavan
Note
AIAWU President Former LDF Convenor Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Mohammed Salim
Mohammed Salim
Name
Mohammed Salim
Note
West Bengal State Secretary Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Former Minister for Technical Education and Training, Youth Welfare, Minority Development and Welfare, Self Employment in West Bengal Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Ashok Dhawale
Ashok Dhawale
Name
Ashok Dhawale
Note
AIKS President Former Maharashtra State Secretary
Ram Chandra Dome
Ram Chandra Dome
Name
Ram Chandra Dome
Note
Member of West Bengal State Secretariat Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
M. V. Govindan
M. V. Govindan
Name
M. V. Govindan
Note
Kerala State Secretary Member of Legislative Assembly, Kerala Former Minister for Local Self Governments and Excise in Kerala
Jitendra Choudhury
Jitendra Choudhury
Name
Jitendra Choudhury
Note
Tripura State Secretary Leader of Opposition in Tripura Legislative Assembly Former Minister of Forest and Industry, Commerce, Sports in Tripura Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
K. Balakrishnan
K. Balakrishnan
Name
K. Balakrishnan
Note
Former Tamil Nadu State Secretary Former Member of Legislative Assembly, Tamil Nadu
U. Vasuki
U. Vasuki
Name
U. Vasuki
Note
AIDWA Vice President
Amra Ram
Amra Ram
Name
Amra Ram
Note
AIKS Vice President Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha Former Member of Legislative Assembly, Rajasthan
Srideep Bhattacharya
Srideep Bhattacharya
Name
Srideep Bhattacharya
Note
Member of West Bengal State Secretariat
Vijoo Krishnan
Vijoo Krishnan
Name
Vijoo Krishnan
Note
AIKS General Secretary
Mariam Dhawale
Mariam Dhawale
Name
Mariam Dhawale
Note
AIDWA General Secretary
R. Arun Kumar
R. Arun Kumar
Name
R. Arun Kumar
Note
Former SFI President
Portrait
Name
Note
M. A. Baby
General Secretary Member of Central Secretariat Former Minister for Education and Culture in Kerala Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
B. V. Raghavulu
Member of Central Secretariat Former Andhra Pradesh State Secretary
Pinarayi Vijayan
Member of Kerala State Secretariat Chief Minister of Kerala
Tapan Sen
CITU General Secretary Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Nilotpal Basu
Former SFI General Secretary Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
A. Vijayaraghavan
AIAWU President Former LDF Convenor Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Mohammed Salim
West Bengal State Secretary Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Former Minister for Technical Education and Training, Youth Welfare, Minority Development and Welfare, Self Employment in West Bengal Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Ashok Dhawale
AIKS President Former Maharashtra State Secretary
Ram Chandra Dome
Member of West Bengal State Secretariat Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
M. V. Govindan
Kerala State Secretary Member of Legislative Assembly, Kerala Former Minister for Local Self Governments and Excise in Kerala
Jitendra Choudhury
Tripura State Secretary Leader of Opposition in Tripura Legislative Assembly Former Minister of Forest and Industry, Commerce, Sports in Tripura Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
K. Balakrishnan
Former Tamil Nadu State Secretary Former Member of Legislative Assembly, Tamil Nadu
U. Vasuki
AIDWA Vice President
Amra Ram
AIKS Vice President Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha Former Member of Legislative Assembly, Rajasthan
Srideep Bhattacharya
Member of West Bengal State Secretariat
Vijoo Krishnan
AIKS General Secretary
Mariam Dhawale
AIDWA General Secretary
R. Arun Kumar
Former SFI President
List of General Secretaries · Leadership and organisation › General Secretaries
Puchalapalli Sundarayya
1964
1964–1978
Puchalapalli Sundarayya
S. No.
1
Term
1964–1978
Name
Puchalapalli Sundarayya
State
Andhra Pradesh
E. M. S. Namboodiripad
1978
1978–1992
E. M. S. Namboodiripad
S. No.
2
Term
1978–1992
Name
E. M. S. Namboodiripad
State
Kerala
Harkishan Singh Surjeet
1992
1992–2005
Harkishan Singh Surjeet
S. No.
3
Term
1992–2005
Name
Harkishan Singh Surjeet
State
Punjab
Prakash Karat
2005
2005–2015
Prakash Karat
S. No.
4
Term
2005–2015
Name
Prakash Karat
State
Delhi
Sitaram Yechury
2015
2015–2024
Sitaram Yechury
S. No.
5
Term
2015–2024
Name
Sitaram Yechury
State
Andhra Pradesh
Prakash Karat
2024
2024–2025
Prakash Karat
S. No.
Interim Co-ordinator
Term
2024-2025
Name
Prakash Karat
State
Delhi
M. A. Baby
M. A. Baby
S. No.
6
Term
2025–
Name
M. A. Baby
State
Kerala
S. No.
Term
Portrait
Name
State
References
1
1964–1978
Puchalapalli Sundarayya
Andhra Pradesh
After the split of the Communist Party of India in the 7th General meeting, a new political outfit was formed Communist Party of India (Marxist). Puchalapalli Sundarayya was elected as its General Secretary.
2
1978–1992
E. M. S. Namboodiripad
Kerala
The two time Chief Minister of Kerala, E. M. S. Namboodiripad was elected as the General Secretary in the 10th party Congress.
3
1992–2005
Harkishan Singh Surjeet
Punjab
Harkishan Singh Surjeet came to head the CPI-M as its general secretary in 1992, an influential post he held until 2005 when failing health forced him into virtual retirement.
4
2005–2015
Prakash Karat
Delhi
Prakash Karat was elected as the general secretary in the 18th party Congress. He was re-elected again to hold office until 2015.
5
2015–2024
Sitaram Yechury
Andhra Pradesh
Sitaram Yechury was first elected as the party general secretary during the 21st party Congress at Visakhapatnam in April 2015. He was re-elected to the post at the 22nd party Congress at Hyderabad on 18 April 2018. Again re-elected for the third time at 23rd Party Congress held at Kannur, Kerala in April 2022 to hold the office until his death on
Interim Co-ordinator
2024-2025
Prakash Karat
Delhi
Prakash Karat was elected as the interim coordinator after Yechury's death until the new general secretary was elected.
6
2025–
M. A. Baby
Kerala
M. A. Baby was elected as the general secretary in the 24th party Congress held at Madurai in 2025
· Leadership and organisation › State Secretaries
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
State
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
State Secretary
D. Ayyappan
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
State
Andhra Pradesh
State Secretary
V. Srinivasa Rao
Assam
Assam
State
Assam
State Secretary
Suprakash Talukdar
Bihar
Bihar
State
Bihar
State Secretary
Lalan Choudhary
Delhi
Delhi
State
Delhi
State Secretary
Anurag Saxena
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
State
Chhattisgarh
State Secretary
Bal Singh
Goa
Goa
State
Goa
State Secretary
Victor Savio Bragança
Gujarat
Gujarat
State
Gujarat
State Secretary
Hitendra Bhatt
Haryana
Haryana
State
Haryana
State Secretary
Prem Chand
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
State
Himachal Pradesh
State Secretary
Sanjay Chauhan
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
State
Jammu and Kashmir
State Secretary
Mohammed Abass Rather
Jharkhand
Jharkhand
State
Jharkhand
State Secretary
Prakash Viplav
Karnataka
Karnataka
State
Karnataka
State Secretary
K. Prakash
Kerala
Kerala
State
Kerala
State Secretary
M. V. Govindan
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
State
Madhya Pradesh
State Secretary
Jaswinder Singh
Maharashtra
Maharashtra
State
Maharashtra
State Secretary
Ajit Nawale
Manipur
Manipur
State
Manipur
State Secretary
Kshetrimayum Santa
Odisha
Odisha
State
Odisha
State Secretary
Suresh Chandra Panigrahy
Punjab
Punjab
State
Punjab
State Secretary
Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon
Puducherry
Puducherry
State
Puducherry
State Secretary
S. Ramachandran
Rajasthan
Rajasthan
State
Rajasthan
State Secretary
Kishan Pareek
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
State
Tamil Nadu
State Secretary
P. Shanmugam
Telangana
Telangana
State
Telangana
State Secretary
John Wesley
Tripura
Tripura
State
Tripura
State Secretary
Jitendra Chaudhury
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
State
Uttarakhand
State Secretary
Rajendra Purohit
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
State
Uttar Pradesh
State Secretary
Ravi Shankar Mishra
West Bengal
West Bengal
State
West Bengal
State Secretary
Mohammed Salim
State
State Secretary
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
D. Ayyappan
Andhra Pradesh
V. Srinivasa Rao
Assam
Suprakash Talukdar
Bihar
Lalan Choudhary
Delhi
Anurag Saxena
Chhattisgarh
Bal Singh
Goa
Victor Savio Bragança
Gujarat
Hitendra Bhatt
Haryana
Prem Chand
Himachal Pradesh
Sanjay Chauhan
Jammu and Kashmir
Mohammed Abass Rather
Jharkhand
Prakash Viplav
Karnataka
K. Prakash
Kerala
M. V. Govindan
Madhya Pradesh
Jaswinder Singh
Maharashtra
Ajit Nawale
Manipur
Kshetrimayum Santa
Odisha
Suresh Chandra Panigrahy
Punjab
Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon
Puducherry
S. Ramachandran
Rajasthan
Kishan Pareek
Tamil Nadu
P. Shanmugam
Telangana
John Wesley
Tripura
Jitendra Chaudhury
Uttarakhand
Rajendra Purohit
Uttar Pradesh
Ravi Shankar Mishra
West Bengal
Mohammed Salim
Performance of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Loksabha elections · Indian general elections results
1967
1967
Year
1967
Legislature
4th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
Puchalapalli Sundarayya
Total constituencies
520
Seats won / contested
19 / 59
Change in seats
New
Total votes
6,246,522
Per. of votes
4 %
Change in vote %
New
Party Rank
6th
Outcome
Opposition
1971
1971
Year
1971
Legislature
5th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
518
Total constituencies
25 / 85
Seats won / contested
6
Change in seats
7,510,089
Total votes
5 %
Per. of votes
0 %
Change in vote %
2nd
Party Rank
Main Opposition
1977
1977
Year
1977
Legislature
6th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
542
Total constituencies
22 / 53
Seats won / contested
3
Change in seats
8,113,659
Total votes
4 %
Per. of votes
0 %
Change in vote %
3rd
Party Rank
Opposition
1980
1980
Year
1980
Legislature
7th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
E. M. S. Namboodiripad
Total constituencies
542
Seats won / contested
37 / 64
Change in seats
15
Total votes
12,352,331
Per. of votes
6 %
Change in vote %
1 %
Party Rank
3rd
Outcome
Opposition
1984
1984
Year
1984
Legislature
8th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
541
Total constituencies
22 / 64
Seats won / contested
15
Change in seats
14,272,526
Total votes
5 %
Per. of votes
0 %
Change in vote %
3rd
Party Rank
Opposition
1989
1989
Year
1989
Legislature
9th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
529
Total constituencies
33 / 64
Seats won / contested
11
Change in seats
19,691,309
Total votes
6 %
Per. of votes
0
Change in vote %
4th
Party Rank
Outside Support
1991
1991
Year
1991
Legislature
10th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
534
Total constituencies
35 / 63
Seats won / contested
2
Change in seats
17,074,699
Total votes
6 %
Per. of votes
0 %
Change in vote %
4th
Party Rank
Opposition
1996
1996
Year
1996
Legislature
11th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
Harkishan Singh Surjeet
Total constituencies
543
Seats won / contested
32 / 75
Change in seats
3
Total votes
20,496,810
Per. of votes
6 %
Change in vote %
0 %
Party Rank
4th
Outcome
Outside Support
1998
1998
Year
1998
Legislature
12th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
543
Total constituencies
32 / 71
Seats won / contested
Change in seats
18,991,867
Total votes
5 %
Per. of votes
0 %
Change in vote %
3rd
Party Rank
Opposition
1999
1999
Year
1999
Legislature
13th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
543
Total constituencies
33 / 72
Seats won / contested
1
Change in seats
19,695,767
Total votes
5 %
Per. of votes
0 %
Change in vote %
3rd
Party Rank
Opposition
2004
2004
Year
2004
Legislature
14th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
543
Total constituencies
43 / 69
Seats won / contested
10
Change in seats
22,070,614
Total votes
5 %
Per. of votes
0 %
Change in vote %
3rd
Party Rank
Outside Support
2009
2009
Year
2009
Legislature
15th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
Prakash Karat
Total constituencies
543
Seats won / contested
16 / 82
Change in seats
27
Total votes
22,219,111
Per. of votes
5 %
Change in vote %
0 %
Party Rank
8th
Outcome
Opposition
2014
2014
Year
2014
Legislature
16th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
543
Total constituencies
9 / 93
Seats won / contested
7
Change in seats
17,986,773
Total votes
3 %
Per. of votes
2 %
Change in vote %
9th
Party Rank
Opposition
2019
2019
Year
2019
Legislature
17th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
Sitaram Yechury
Total constituencies
543
Seats won / contested
3 / 69
Change in seats
6
Total votes
10,744,908
Per. of votes
1 %
Change in vote %
1 %
Party Rank
16th
Outcome
Opposition
2024
2024
Year
2024
Legislature
18th Lok Sabha
Party Secretary
543
Total constituencies
4 / 52
Seats won / contested
1
Change in seats
11,342,553
Total votes
1 %
Per. of votes
0 %
Change in vote %
14th
Party Rank
Opposition
Year
Legislature
Party Secretary
Total constituencies
Seats won / contested
Change in seats
Total votes
Per. of votes
Change in vote %
Party Rank
Outcome
Ref.
1967
4th Lok Sabha
Puchalapalli Sundarayya
520
19 / 59
New
6,246,522
4 %
New
6th
Opposition
1971
5th Lok Sabha
518
25 / 85
6
7,510,089
5 %
0 %
2nd
Main Opposition
1977
6th Lok Sabha
542
22 / 53
3
8,113,659
4 %
0 %
3rd
Opposition
1980
7th Lok Sabha
E. M. S. Namboodiripad
542
37 / 64
15
12,352,331
6 %
1 %
3rd
Opposition
1984
8th Lok Sabha
541
22 / 64
15
14,272,526
5 %
0 %
3rd
Opposition
1989
9th Lok Sabha
529
33 / 64
11
19,691,309
6 %
0
4th
Outside Support
1991
10th Lok Sabha
534
35 / 63
2
17,074,699
6 %
0 %
4th
Opposition
1996
11th Lok Sabha
Harkishan Singh Surjeet
543
32 / 75
3
20,496,810
6 %
0 %
4th
Outside Support
1998
12th Lok Sabha
543
32 / 71
18,991,867
5 %
0 %
3rd
Opposition
1999
13th Lok Sabha
543
33 / 72
1
19,695,767
5 %
0 %
3rd
Opposition
2004
14th Lok Sabha
543
43 / 69
10
22,070,614
5 %
0 %
3rd
Outside Support
2009
15th Lok Sabha
Prakash Karat
543
16 / 82
27
22,219,111
5 %
0 %
8th
Opposition
2014
16th Lok Sabha
543
9 / 93
7
17,986,773
3 %
2 %
9th
Opposition
2019
17th Lok Sabha
Sitaram Yechury
543
3 / 69
6
10,744,908
1 %
1 %
16th
Opposition
2024
18th Lok Sabha
543
4 / 52
1
11,342,553
1 %
0 %
14th
Opposition
· Presence in states and politics › Current government in State legislative assemblies
Omar Abdullah
Omar Abdullah
Sr No.
1
State
Jammu and Kashmir
Govt Since
1 October 2024
Chief Minister
Omar Abdullah
Chief Minister
JKNC
Chief Minister
42
Alliance Name
INDIA
Parties in Alliance
INC(6)
Seats in Assembly
49 / 95
Sr No.
State
Govt Since
Chief Minister
Alliance Name
Parties in Alliance
Seats in Assembly
Name
Party
Party seats
Alliance Government
1
Jammu and Kashmir
1 October 2024
Omar Abdullah
JKNC
42
INDIA
INC(6)
49 / 95
CPI(M) (1)

References

  1. Outside support to TVK+ in Tamil Nadu.
  2. The bulk of the detainees came from the left-wing of the CPI. However, cadres of the Socialist Unity Centre of India and
  3. The 32 were V. S. Achuthanandan, Muzaffar Ahmed, Guntur Bapanaiah, Makineni Basavapunnaiah, Jyoti Basu, A. K. Gopalan, P
  4. Suniti Kumar Ghosh was a member of the group that presented this alternative draft proposal. His grouping was one of sev
  5. The jailed members of the new CC, at the time of the Calcutta Congress, were B . Ranadive, Muzaffar Ahmed, Hare Krishna
  6. According to Basu, there were two nuclei of radicals in the party organization in West Bengal. One "theorist" section ar
  7. On 1 July, People's Daily carried an article titled "Spring Thunder Over India", expressing the support of CPC to the Na
  8. This press statement was reproduced in full in the central CPI(M) publication, People's Democracy, on 30 June. P. Sundar
  9. Some perceive that the Chinese leadership severely misjudged the actual conditions of different Indian factions at the t
  10. Indian National Congress had won 23 seats, Bangla Congress 33, and CPI 30. CPI(M) allies also won several seats.
  11. The same is also true for the Workers Party of Bangladesh, which was formed in 1980 when BCP(L) merged with other groups
  12. In Kerala the United Front consisted, at the time of the election, of Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist
  13. The Hindu
    https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/john-brittas-appointed-the-rajya-sabha-parliamentary-party-leader-for-cpim/article69537750.ece
  14. The Hindu
    https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/cpim-keen-on-improving-quality-of-membership-not-quantity/article69416828.ece
  15. Communism in India: Events, Processes and Ideologies
    https://books.google.com/books?id=oEtRBAAAQBAJ
  16. The Insurrection of Little Selves: The Crisis of Secular-nationalism in India
  17. The National Question in Marxist-Leninist Theory and Strategy
  18. The Hindu
    https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cpim-deliberates-on-native-socialism-model/article3291327.ece
  19. "Unshakable Conviction in the Victory of Socialism"
    https://www.peoplesdemocracy.in/content/unshakable-conviction-victory-socialism
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