Boost booth-level strength ahead of ’26 poll battle: CPM
Times of India | 21 April 2025
123 Kolkata: Overcoming organisational shortcomings, CPM and Left mass organisations on Sunday called for strengthening booth-level units to counter the "binary scripted by Trinamool and BJP" in Bengal. CPM netas, speaking from a rally at Brigade Parade Ground, called for consolidation of mass movements ahead of the 2026 state assembly polls.
"Both BJP and Trinamool are part of a scripted drama and RSS is writing the script. They are trying to break the unity of the working class in Bengal," CPM state secretary Md Salim said, calling for the "coming together of everyone's battles".
"We need to unite mass movements in every sphere of life. We must integrate the fight of everyone, whether a jobless youth, farmer, unorganised worker or a worker at the factory," he said.
Earlier in the day, Paschim Banga Khet Majdoor Samiti functionary Banya Tudu said Left parties needed to strengthen booth-level organisations. "We have to work together at the booth level to drive out Trinamool from Bengal. We have to fight at the booth level despite intimidations from TMC. People have been saying that despite large crowds at the Brigade, we don't see its reflection in the ballot box," she said.
"They have been saying ‘Khela Hobe'. Yes, we will play and take wickets in the 2026 polls," Tudu said.
Salim, who asked party workers to start work keeping the polls in mind, said: "I like football over cricket. I like it because it needs players to put in harder work on the ground. Amader o ektu neme khelte hobe (we have to put in a little more hard work on the ground)."
Critical of BJP and TMC in the same breath, Salim said the former was trying to create a theocratic state and the latter was helping RSS to find a foothold in Bengal. "There were riots in Dhulagarh, Basirhat, Rishra and Shibpur. No riot can take place if govt intervenes. TMC and BJP are trying to drive the state towards an aimless end," he said. Urging people not to mix religion and politics, he said the fight was not between communities. "We have to fight for better education, health and livelihoods," Salim added.
Lodging a scathing attack on both Centre and state for the dismal condition of farmers, Amal Haldar, secretary of Paschim Banga Pradeshik Krishak Sabha, said: "While prices of seeds and fertilisers are on the rise, farmers are not getting the right price for their produce."
Citu state secretary Anadi Sahoo said the country was torn between liberal economic policies and divisive politics. "The Hindu-Muslim binary is pushing towards strong polarisation. This divisive governance has to be defeated," he said.
Central trade unions have called for a Bharat bandh on May 20.