At the inaugural day of the CPI-M’s 27th state conference in West Bengal on Saturday, senior politburo member and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar chose to pay homage with a traditional ‘Namashkar’ instead of the party’s customary ‘Red Salute.’ His tribute was directed toward two late leaders—former CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
While all other delegates adhered to the party tradition of raising a ‘Red Salute,’ Sarkar’s different approach stood out. Though the CPI-M did not officially comment on his gesture, a party member close to him mentioned that Sarkar has always preferred ‘Namashkar’ when paying respects to the deceased, regardless of their political affiliation.
The 27th state conference is significant as it will determine the party’s new state leadership, which will steer the CPI-M into the crucial 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The conference, which began on Saturday, will continue until February 25, concluding with an open session where the new state committee will be announced.
Key discussions at the conference are centered on reviving CPI-M’s traditional voter base among minorities and economically disadvantaged communities. Additionally, party leaders are strategizing on how to counter the increasing political polarization in West Bengal, dominated by the Trinamool Congress and the BJP.
An internal CPI-M document analyzing recent electoral trends acknowledged that Trinamool Congress has been the biggest beneficiary of this two-party contest. It stressed the importance of countering BJP’s influence while also addressing the perception that Trinamool Congress serves as the primary opposition to the BJP.
“In West Bengal, the CPI-M has been fighting both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP for over a decade. However, the party must intensify efforts to counter the BJP ideologically and politically. This is crucial because many secular-minded voters perceive Trinamool as the strongest challenger to the BJP due to the state’s polarized political landscape,” the internal document noted.
(With inputs from agencies, internet)
