Kolkata, Feb 14 (NationPress) The CPI(M), in an internal document, has identified the Trinamool Congress as the primary beneficiary of the binary polarization of politics in West Bengal.

The document analyzes the party’s electoral strategies, emphasizing that party members at all levels should focus on countering the BJP both politically and ideologically.

“In West Bengal, the party has been engaged in combat against both Trinamool Congress and BJP for the past decade. While doing so, it is crucial for the party to concentrate more on countering the BJP politically and ideologically. This is particularly important as a significant portion of secular-minded voters view the TMC as an effective opposition to the BJP due to the ongoing binary political climate,” the internal document states.

However, some members of the CPI(M) state leadership believe that labeling the Trinamool Congress as the biggest beneficiary of this binary polarization oversimplifies the situation.

“While it is undeniable that a section of secular-minded voters have accepted the TMC as a viable counter to the BJP, there is also a considerable number of anti-TMC voters who now regard the BJP as a legitimate alternative to the ruling party. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt a balanced campaign strategy that addresses both TMC and BJP simultaneously,” remarked a CPI(M) state committee member who chose to remain anonymous.

The trend of binary polarization in West Bengal politics became apparent during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP dramatically increased its winning tally from just two in 2014 to eighteen.

In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, while the trend persisted, it was the Trinamool Congress that emerged as the primary beneficiary. This trend continued into the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with the ruling party again reaping significant benefits.

In all three elections, the CPI(M)-led Left Front unfortunately failed to secure any wins.

Earlier this month, the CPI(M) released a draft political resolution in preparation for the upcoming 24th party Congress scheduled for April in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, emphasizing a focus on independent political lines rather than electoral alliances.

“The party must prioritize independent political campaigns and mass mobilization centered around its platform. We cannot allow our independent identity to be diluted or our activities to be diminished in the pursuit of electoral alliances,” the draft resolution stated, a copy of which is available with IANS.

The draft also touched on maintaining an independent stance in states like Tripura and West Bengal, where the CPI(M)-led Left Front previously had electoral agreements and seat-sharing arrangements.

“To significantly bolster the party’s strength, we must focus on rebuilding and expanding the party and the Left in West Bengal and Tripura. In West Bengal, while conducting mass movements, special emphasis should be placed on organizing the rural poor. The party needs to concentrate on the political and ideological struggle against the BJP while opposing both the TMC and BJP,” the draft resolution regarding the West Bengal perspective highlighted.