Archive · 30 Aug 2026
CPM Reviews Bengal Poll Debacle, Keeps BJP as Main Rival
The CPM is a political party reviewing why it performed poorly in Bengal’s Assembly election.
It won only one seat, in Domkal.
Its vote share fell to 4.45 per cent.
Party leaders said the BJP will remain their main political opponent.
They are examining whether some members wrongly treated the Trinamool Congress as more dangerous than the BJP.
Md Salim said some people voted for the BJP because they wanted to remove the Trinamool government.
He compared that choice to jumping into a ditch to avoid an accident.
The CPM said it must explain its ideas better and rebuild its organisation.
The CPM began a two-day extended state conference in Kalyani to review its Bengal Assembly poll performance.
The party won one seat, Domkal, while its vote share fell to 4.45 per cent.
Bengal CPM leaders reaffirmed that the BJP remains their principal political adversary.
A central review blamed the party’s collapse partly on weak ideological commitment and confusion over the bigger threat.
State secretary Md Salim said corruption and alleged atrocities under the Trinamool Congress government pushed some CPM voters toward the BJP.
- Who
- The Bengal CPM leadership, including Md Salim and national leaders M.A. Baby and Brinda Karat.
- What
- A two-day extended state conference began to review the CPM’s Assembly poll defeat and plan its political and organisational revival.
- When
- The meeting began on Saturday and was scheduled to conclude on Sunday with a public rally.
- Where
- Kalyani in Nadia, Bengal.
- Why
- The CPM won only one Assembly seat and received 4.45 per cent of the vote, prompting a review of its messaging, ideological position and organisation.
CPM Leadership’s Position
Voters’ Election Choice
Main political threat
CPM Leadership’s Position
The CPM says the BJP is its principal political adversary and warned that BJP rule would strengthen fascist forces.
Voters’ Election Choice
Some traditional CPM voters nevertheless chose the BJP, according to Md Salim, because they wanted to remove the Trinamool Congress government.
Reason for the BJP vote
CPM Leadership’s Position
The CPM leadership attributed the shift partly to its failure to communicate its anti-BJP message and to confusion among cadres about which party posed the greater danger.
Voters’ Election Choice
Salim said voters acted from their own experiences, including concerns about alleged corruption and atrocities under the Trinamool Congress government.
Future political strategy
CPM Leadership’s Position
The CPM is gathering feedback to decide its future direction and has reaffirmed the BJP as its main rival.
Voters’ Election Choice
The article does not report a decision by voters, the BJP or the Trinamool Congress on any possible broader anti-BJP understanding; the CPM leadership also did not spell one out.
- Party under review
- Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM
- Principal adversary
- The Bharatiya Janata Party, according to the Bengal CPM leadership
- Assembly result
- The CPM won one seat, Domkal
- Vote share
- 4.45 per cent in the 2026 Assembly polls
- Meeting location
- Kalyani, Nadia
- Meeting duration
- Two days, ending Sunday with a public rally
- Central review finding
- The CPM attributed its collapse partly to an absence of ideological firmness