Ahead of LS elections, 6 Left parties aim for revival in UP

Left movement struggling for survival in state since past 2 decades

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Left parties are coming together to form an informal group and flex their muscles in the elections.

A meeting of six left parties, namely CPM, CPI, Communist Party Marxist, All- India Forward Block, Socialist Unity Centre of India and Revolutionary Socialist Party ( RSP), is being held in Lucknow on June 25.

CPM leader Premnath Rai said that the agenda was to discuss will be meeting in issues related to the common man and then build up a common movement on these issues.

Since the past two decades, the Left movement has been struggling for survival in UP in the face of a stiff challenge posed by communal and casteist politics in the state.

The movement, which had its presence in the state Assembly till 1974, when it won 16 seats, slipped into oblivion after 1996.

Thereafter, the Left movement in the state has been marginalised with none of its members entering the portals of the Vidhan Sabha and the Left losing its relevance in state politics.

CPI national secretary Atul Kumar Anjaan said, “The advent of politics of caste and religion in the nineties pushed the left ideology to the sidelines. It is not as if the Left parties

do not have their organisation in the state — the CPI has units in more than 65 districts but there is a dearth of resources”.

The CPI leader said that he was hopeful of the Left movement getting revived in the state because those practicing the politics of caste and religion are getting exposed.

“This process of getting exposed is today passing through its final stages. The youth today does not get carried away by communally inflammatory speeches but asks for report card”, he said.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, the Left parties, barring the RSP, had fielded candidates on 140 out of 403 seats but could not win even one.

The Samajwadi Party, once considered to be the closest friend of the Left , also moved away and if sources are to be believed , there is no room for the Left in the party under the leadership of Mr Akhilesh Yadav.

The coming together of the Left once again in Uttar Pradesh would be an interesting development to watch out for in the coming days and could add a new angle to the political spectrum.

The coming together of the Left once again in UP would be an interesting development to watch out for in the coming days