Communist Party of India (Marxist)

The Communist Party of India(Marxist) is the largest of the several communist parties in India with over a million members in 2018 along with many more in its front organizations, having held power at state governments in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura along with being a party of nationwide repute. As stated in the party's constitution, "The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is the revolutionary vanguard of the working class of India. Its aim is socialism and communism through the establishment of the state of dictatorship of the proletariat. In all its activities the Party is guided by the philosophy and principles of Marxism-Leninism which shows to the toiling masses the correct way to the ending of exploitation of man by man, their complete emancipation. The Party keeps high the banner of proletarian internationalism."[1]

History

The undivided Communist Party of India was founded by a small group of Indian revolutionaries in exile in Tashkent in 1920, who were inspired by the ideas of the Russian Revolution. In its formative years, the party withstood the brunt of British repression with a number of conspiracy cases hurled against them in Peshawar (1922), Meerut (1923) and Kanpur.(1929) A number of revolts against the colonial government were either led or inspired by the communists - the Punappra Vayalar rebellion, the North Malabar rising, the Tebhaga movement, the Warli adivasi revolt and the historic Telangana struggle.[2]

The CPI came to power in the state government of Kerala for the first time in 1957. Due to the social changes brought by the Left Front government , the Centre imposed President's rule upon the state in 1959. The CPI(M) led Left Front won the electorate over West Bengal in 1974, after which over three decades of Left Front rule were to follow.

The Communist Party of India(Marxist) was formed in 1964 as a result of a prolonged struggle against Khruschevite revisionism and Maoist dogmatism.[3]