Communist Party of India

Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
Abbreviation	CPI
General Secretary	D. Raja
Parliamentary Chairperson	Binoy Viswam
Lok Sabha Leader	K. Subbarayan
Rajya Sabha Leader	Binoy Viswam
Founded	26 December 1925
Headquarters	Ajoy Bhavan; 15, Indrajit Gupta Marg, New Delhi, Delhi, India
Newspaper	Newspapers New Age; Mukti Sangharsh; Janayugom; Navayugom; Kalantar; Visalaandhra; Jana Sakthi; Praja Paksham; Nawan Zamana; Nua Dunia; Janashakti; Kembavuta; Yugantar; Kholao Thakhai; Tripurar Katha;
Student wing	All India Students' Federation
Youth wing	All India Youth Federation
Women's wing	National Federation of Indian Women
Labour wing	All India Trade Union Congress; Bharatiya Khet Mazdoor Union;
Peasant's wing	All India Kisan Sabha
Membership	650,000 (2022)
Ideology	Communism; Marxism–Leninism
Political position	Left-wing
International affiliation	IMCWP
Colours	Red
ECI Status	State Party
Alliance	Alliances Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (National); Secular Progressive Alliance (Tamil Nadu, Puducherry); Secular Democratic Alliance (West Bengal); Left Front (Tripura); Left Front (West Bengal); Left Democratic Front (Kerala); Mahagathbandhan (Bihar); United Opposition Forum (Assam); Maha Vikas Aghadi (Maharashtra); Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (Manipur); INC + (Telangana); ;
Seats in Lok Sabha	2 / 543
Seats in Rajya Sabha	2 / 245
Seats in State legislatures	22 / 4,036 (Total) State Legislatures 17 / 140 (Kerala) 2 / 243 (Bihar) 2 / 234 (Tamil Nadu) 1 / 119 (Telangana)
Seats in State Legislative Councils	1 / 75 (Bihar)
Number of states and union territories in government	3 / 31
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
	communistpartyofindia.com
	Politics of India; Political parties; Elections;

The Communist Party of India (CPI) is the oldest communist party in India. The CPI was founded in modern-day Kanpur on 26 December 1925.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Although the CPI considers its formation date as 1925, but Communist Party of India (Marxist), which got split from CPI in 1964, is of the view that CPI was founded on 17 October 1920. There is a technical dispute between both parties on this issue. ^[9]

Currently, it has two members in Lok Sabha and two members in Rajya Sabha. In addition, it has 22 MLAs across four states and one MLC in Bihar. It has the current ECI status of a state party in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Manipur.^[10]

CPI was heavily involved in resistance to British colonisation, the fight against the caste system and for land reform.^[11] Between 1921 and 1933, many Communist leaders were arrested and imprisoned. In 1934, the British colonial administration banned the Communist Party and its affiliated trade union and peasant organisations, making membership a criminal offence.^[12] The Communist Party continued its activities clandestinely, despite the repression. Between 1946 and 1951, it structured the peasant revolt in Telangana and organised guerrilla warfare against the feudal lords.^[12] CPI was the main opposition party in India during 1950's to 1960's.^[13]

CPI was part of the ruling United Front government from 1996 to 1998 and had two ministers under Devegowda and Gujral Ministry. Left Front gave outside support to VP Singh government(1989–90) and UPA government(2004–2009). The Left Front governed West Bengal for 34 years (1977–2011) and Tripura for 25 years (1993–2018).^[14]

As of December 2023, the CPI is a part of the state government in Kerala led by LDF. CPI have four Cabinet Ministers and a Deputy Speaker in Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, it is in power with SPA coalition led by DMK. In Telangana, it is in alliance with the INC.^[15]

CPI, along with the Left Front, is part of the INDIA alliance formed to defeat the incumbent BJP-led right-wing NDA government in 2024 General elections.^[16]

^ "സിപിഐ തളർച്ചയിൽ; താങ്ങ് കേരളം, തമിഴ്നാട്; ബംഗാളിലും ത്രിപുരയിലും പടുകുഴിയിൽ". Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
^ "Cpi continue to congress alliance". 17 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
^ Anil Kumar Mishra/ Sudhir Kumar Mishra (19 January 2021). Dictionary of Social Sciences. Prabhat Prakashan. pp. 32–. ISBN 9789351867661. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
^
* "Manipur: CPI State Secretary, Blogger Arrested over CAA Protests". The Wire. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- "India's election results were more than a 'Modi wave'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
- Klaus Voll, Doreen Beierlein, ed. (2006). Rising India – Europe's Partner?: Foreign and Security Policy, Politics, Economics, Human Rights and Social Issues, Media, Civil Society and Intercultural Dimensions. University of Michigan: Mosaic Books. p. 387. ISBN 978-3-899-98098-1.
^ "NCP, TMC and CPI lose national party status, AAP earns coveted tag Dated 10.04.2023". India: India Today. 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
^ "Brief History of CPI – CPI". Archived from the original on 9 December 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
^ "Foundation of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in 1925: product of (...) – Mainstream". www.mainstreamweekly.net. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
^ Noorani, A. G. (17 May 2012). "Origins of Indian communism". Frontline. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
^ Karat, Brinda (2019). 100 Years of the Communist Party. New Delhi: Communist Party of India (Marxist). pp. 5, 9. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
^ "NCP, TMC and CPI lose national party status, AAP earns coveted tag". India Today. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
^ Jaffe, Greg; Doshi, Vidhi (1 June 2018). "One of the few places where a communist can still dream". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
^ ^a ^b "One Hundred Years of the Communist Movement in India". Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
^ "Communist Party Of India Formation Day: Decoding The Decline Of Principal Opposition Party Of 1957". Retrieved 24 March 2024.
^ "Thirty Years of the Left Front Government in West Bengal". Retrieved 24 March 2024.
^ "Kerala: Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government to be sworn in tomorrow". Retrieved 24 March 2024.
^ "CPI parts ways with INDIA bloc in Jharkhand, to go solo in Lok Sabha polls". Retrieved 24 March 2023.

[1] "സിപിഐ തളർച്ചയിൽ; താങ്ങ് കേരളം, തമിഴ്നാട്; ബംഗാളിലും ത്രിപുരയിലും പടുകുഴിയിൽ". Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.

[2] "Cpi continue to congress alliance". 17 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.

[Mishra2021-3] Anil Kumar Mishra/ Sudhir Kumar Mishra (19 January 2021). Dictionary of Social Sciences. Prabhat Prakashan. pp. 32–. ISBN 9789351867661. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.

[CPI_1-4] * "Manipur: CPI State Secretary, Blogger Arrested over CAA Protests". The Wire. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
"India's election results were more than a 'Modi wave'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.

Klaus Voll, Doreen Beierlein, ed. (2006). Rising India – Europe's Partner?: Foreign and Security Policy, Politics, Economics, Human Rights and Social Issues, Media, Civil Society and Intercultural Dimensions. University of Michigan: Mosaic Books. p. 387. ISBN 978-3-899-98098-1.

[5] "India's election results were more than a 'Modi wave'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.

[6] Klaus Voll, Doreen Beierlein, ed. (2006). Rising India – Europe's Partner?: Foreign and Security Policy, Politics, Economics, Human Rights and Social Issues, Media, Civil Society and Intercultural Dimensions. University of Michigan: Mosaic Books. p. 387. ISBN 978-3-899-98098-1.

[5] "NCP, TMC and CPI lose national party status, AAP earns coveted tag Dated 10.04.2023". India: India Today. 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.

[auto2-6] "Brief History of CPI – CPI". Archived from the original on 9 December 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.

[7] "Foundation of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in 1925: product of (...) – Mainstream". www.mainstreamweekly.net. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2020.

[8] Noorani, A. G. (17 May 2012). "Origins of Indian communism". Frontline. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.

[Karat-9] Karat, Brinda (2019). 100 Years of the Communist Party. New Delhi: Communist Party of India (Marxist). pp. 5, 9. Retrieved 12 April 2024.

[:0-10] "NCP, TMC and CPI lose national party status, AAP earns coveted tag". India Today. Retrieved 24 August 2023.

[11] Jaffe, Greg; Doshi, Vidhi (1 June 2018). "One of the few places where a communist can still dream". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 1 February 2024.

[:1-12] "One Hundred Years of the Communist Movement in India". Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2024.

[13] "Communist Party Of India Formation Day: Decoding The Decline Of Principal Opposition Party Of 1957". Retrieved 24 March 2024.

[14] "Thirty Years of the Left Front Government in West Bengal". Retrieved 24 March 2024.

[15] "Kerala: Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government to be sworn in tomorrow". Retrieved 24 March 2024.

[16] "CPI parts ways with INDIA bloc in Jharkhand, to go solo in Lok Sabha polls". Retrieved 24 March 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]