Report on Political Developments – May 2026

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COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (MARXIST)

Central Committee

A.K. Gopalan Bhawan, 27-29, Bhai Vir Singh Marg New Delhi 110 001

Website: http://www.cpim.org email: cc@cpim.org

Report on Political Developments

(Adopted at the Central Committee meeting held on

May 22-24 at New Delhi)

Many important national and international developments took place in the intervening period between the last meeting of the Central Committee held in January and May. Some of the main trends are dealt with in this report.

International

The most significant features of the international developments in the last four months are:

1. The US-Israel attacks on Iran mark a new stage of imperialist aggression. They show to what lengths imperialists would go to overcome the current crisis and demonstrate their hegemony, despite various constraining factors;

2. Imperialism is desperately moving to dismantle the post Second World War world order, including the UN, by trampling upon the independence and sovereignty of countries and institutions;

3. The US is moving aggressively against socialist Cuba;

4. The people, government and the Communist Party of Cuba are staunchly resisting all US attempts to destabilise the country and enforce a regime change;

5. A conflict within NATO and between the US and its allies can be noticed;

6. The US attack on Iran threw the global economy into a turmoil, with rising prices, fertilizer and food scarcity;

7. Attacks on workers’ rights in the form of reforming labour laws to enable corporate profits are being resisted in all parts of the world;

8. Despite these class actions, the far-right continues to grow;

9. There is an urgent need for communist and workers’ parties to strengthen their forces and stand in solidarity with Cuba, Palestine and other peoples who are resisting imperialist attacks.

Imperialist Aggression

West Asia: The US and Israel launched their attack on Iran on February 28, and though the initial intensity of the attacks has subsided, they are continuing. In the initial phase of attacks, the entire top leadership of Iran, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, was killed in targeted bombings. A school for girls was deliberately targeted, which led to the deaths of 168 children who were in their classrooms. More than 7,000 people were killed in Iran, and thousands more were injured. The US deliberately targeted Iran’s infrastructure with the intention of destroying its economic life.

Backing the US, Israel re-launched its offensive on Lebanon and killed more than 3,000 people in some of the most devastating attacks on the country. Iran retaliated with force and launched attacks on US bases in the region and also on Israel. Hezbollah too attacked Israel, proving wrong all those who had declared the organisation to have been finished by Israel in its previous attacks on Lebanon. Though unreported by many media organisations, Iran inflicted serious damage on Israel and on US allies in West Asia.

Iran had blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s energy resources move. This had a severe impact on the world economy, and the US was forced to negotiate. The talks between the two countries through mediators are continuing. The statements of the US President and the attitude of the US administration are not helping to advance the talks or reach a conclusive settlement. The US imposed its own blockade outside the Strait and declared that it would not allow any Iranian ships to exit the Strait. Attacks on ships in the region are being carried out by both parties, escalating tensions.

The major features arising from this war are: (i) the refusal of NATO countries to join the US war efforts; (ii) NATO countries like Spain, France, and Italy even refused to allow US fighter planes to use their airspace; (iii) the resilience of Iran and its people in resisting US-Israel aggression; (iv) the exposure of the limitations of US war strategy and dominance; (v) the exponential rise in the price of oil and natural gas (before the war, one barrel of oil was $72 and after the war it touched a peak of $120, now hovering around $100 now) adversely impacting the global economy; and (vi) the large-scale opposition to US aggression from all over the world, particularly from within the US, reflected in the falling popularity ratings of President Donald Trump.

Palestine: Israel continues its attacks on Gaza and the West Bank in Palestine. The situation in Gaza is extremely bleak despite the ceasefire. Israel has passed a law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are killing Palestinians in Gaza with impunity. Whatever schools and hospitals remain are being bombed. Hunger, malnutrition and starvation are rampant, as Israel is now controlling the amount of aid reaching Gaza. Pregnant and lactating women and infants are the worst affected by the lack of food.

One child is killed by the Israeli forces every week in the West Bank, Palestine. The destruction of houses, agricultural lands and properties owned by Palestinians in the West Bank to enable Israeli settlers is continuing unabated.

Israel has illegally detained peace activists who carried aid in flotillas to distribute in Gaza. The IDF hijacked the flotillas from international waters and prevented the aid from being distributed. It is only upon international pressure that the activists were released.

Threats to Cuba: The US has yet again announced that it will ‘take over’ Cuba and has further tightened sanctions. It is threatening a military invasion of Cuba. The US is flying drones and reconnaissance flights around Cuba, with the intention of threatening it. The US naval carrier Nimitz was sent to the Caribbean sea. These acts are very similar to what it had done before attacking Venezuela and abducting President Nicolas Maduro. Former President and revolutionary leader Raul Castro is indicted by a US Court on false charges.

On 1 May, the US passed an order declaring mandatory secondary sanctions against any foreign entity that operates or conducts transactions with Cuban entities. This order is an instrument of direct coercion against sovereign third-party States and threatens the global financial system. The oil blockade continues, and as a result, Cuba continues to suffer from a severe energy crisis. China denounced the sanctions and opposed interference in Cuba’s internal affairs. It expressed its firm support for Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security. The European Union, Germany, Mexico, Spain, and Brazil have also criticised the US threats, rejected military intervention, and called for a dialogue.

Anti-War Protests: During this period large anti-war protests took place across multiple regions, against the war on Gaza and Iran waged by the US and Israel. Students, workers and women, played an active role in organising these protests. Port workers in Greece, Spain, Italy, Turkey and Morocco protested against the shipment of armaments to Israel. Huge anti-war protests were held in Australia and the US against the attack on Iran. In May, an international Gaza aid flotilla involving more than 400 activists from over 40 countries attempted to break Israel’s blockade and distribute aid in Gaza. The flotilla’s interception by Israeli forces in international waters, triggered protests in Europe and other regions. The call for peace by Pope Leo XIV also contributed to the spread of anti-war movement.

US-China Talks: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing for extensive discussions from 13 to 15 May. The decade since the two leaders last met in Beijing has witnessed the emergence of a far more assertive China, which was evident during these discussions. The meeting assumes significance against the backdrop of a volatile geopolitical environment and multiple crises confronting the world. No joint statement was issued after the meeting, indicating the tense nature of relations between the two countries.

According to statements released by both countries, the discussions covered several issues beyond trade and bilateral relations. The conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, as well as tensions on the Korean Peninsula, were also discussed. The Chinese statement noted that both presidents agreed on a new vision for building a constructive China-US relationship based on strategic stability. This framework is intended to provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond, promote the steady, sound, and sustainable development of China-US relations, and contribute to global peace, prosperity, and progress.

China strongly reiterated its position on Taiwan and stated that it would not tolerate any external interference. It also emphasised that if the Taiwan issue is handled appropriately, bilateral relations would remain stable. Otherwise, the two countries could face clashes and even conflict, placing the overall relationship in serious jeopardy. The Chinese President also hoped that tensions between a rising superpower and a declining power should not escalate into conflict, as such an outcome would not serve the interests of the world.

Following the meeting between the Chinese and US presidents in 2025, six rounds of delegation-level talks were held before the leaders met again in Beijing. More than 7,000 Chinese-funded enterprises operate in the United States, while around 80,000 American-invested enterprises are active in China. Therefore, despite growing strains in their relationship, it remains important for both countries to maintain strong trade ties.

China did not commit to the US request to intervene in its war with Iran. Instead, it stated that the conflict should end immediately and that Iran had not initiated the war. However, China agreed that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open for global shipping. If persuading China to act in support of the US position in the war was the primary objective of the US President’s visit, the effort appears to have failed.

China-Russia Relations: Immediately after the visit of US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladmir Putin visited Beijing and held discussions with Xi Jinping. Both the countries released a Joint Declaration on the ‘Establishment of a Multipolar World and a New Type of International Relations’. They agreed to counter any manifestations of ‘unilateralism and hegemony’, ‘provocative actions’ and ‘reviving the signs of fascism and militarism’. The further strengthening of relations between these two countries is a development that will advance the movement towards a multi-polar world order.

Global Economy: The global economy has been severely impacted by the US war on Iran. The rising cost of energy has not only affected people’s cost of living but has also led to shortages of fertilizers and food. Many countries in Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, are facing intensified hunger and starvation. According to UN estimates, 45 million people could be pushed into acute hunger due to rising food prices, and as a result, the overall number of people suffering from acute hunger will rise to 363 million – a historic high.

On the other hand, a dominant section of the US economy is benefiting from the war – the oil companies. They stand to receive a windfall of more than $60 billion this year if crude prices maintain the levels they have hit since the start of the Iran war. It is estimated that American producers will generate an extra $5 billion cash flow in March alone following a roughly 47 per cent rise in oil prices since the conflict began.

The war has adversely affected economic growth and increased inflation across countries. The IMF forecasts reduced growth of 3.1 percent in 2026 and projects inflation to rise to 4.4 percent. It has warned that if the war continues for a longer period, the global economy will fall into recession and inflation will reach nearly 6 percent. The economies of emerging and developing countries are likely to suffer twice as much as developed economies.

Global trade is also seeing a significant recalibration. Global trade has declined by 2.1 percent in March, as compared to February. All major international financial institutions have lowered their global trade growth forecasts. US imports from China and Canada have decreased, while imports from Mexico, Vietnam, and Taiwan Province have increased. Similarly, China’s exports have been reoriented from the US to Europe and other Asian countries. Countries are rushing to conclude trade deals. The EU concluded a trade deal with MERCOSUR, which had been pending for many years. The EU also concluded a trade deal with India. On the other hand, India concluded a deal with New Zealand. These economic partnerships show an urgency to protect their respective economies from the impact of the current uncertainties, which are expected to continue.

The war is also contributing to the increased shift towards the usage of electric vehicles, alternative sources of power generation and a trade in related goods.

Electoral Gains of the Right

Hungary: The defeat of Viktor Orban in Hungary’s 2026 election came from a combination of economic decline, political fatigue, corruption scandals, and generational change. Many Hungarians felt their living standards were deteriorating due to high inflation, a sharp rise in housing costs, rising energy prices, stagnant wages, and a weakened public sector. Orban was an authoritarian representative of the far-right. Anger among the people against these policies was reflected in high voter turnout. Many younger Hungarians were frustrated with corruption and lack of opportunity. These factors resulted in the victory of Peter Magyar, who was a former associate of Orban and also a fellow conservative.

The defeat of Orban, though a welcome relief, the victory of Magyar does not generate optimism, as he too is a representative of the right-wing. Unlike Orban, Magyar will be aligning with the European Union and its geopolitical outlook, particularly in taking a position against Russia.

Britain: The elections to local bodies in Britain saw a humiliating defeat for the Labour Party. The far-right Reform emerged as a dominant political force in these elections. The Conservatives were pushed to a distant third. Greens also registered significant victories. Labour lost almost 1,500 seats, the Tories lost 563, and Reform gained more than 1,400 seats, winning areas once considered safe seats for Labour or Conservative.

Many Labour Party MPs are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose economic policies have become extremely unpopular. The Labour Party lost its support among the youth, working class, and progressive voters. While Reform alarmingly grew among the working class, the Greens received support from younger and progressive voters. The results show that the traditional two-party system is under stress from the challenge posed by the far-right Reform and the Greens.

Japan: Japan’s far-right ruling Liberal Democrat Party (LDP), led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, has won 352 of 465 seats in Japan’s House of Representatives. Takaichi has pushed to toughen the immigration system, review rules around foreign ownership of Japanese land, and tackle any non-payments of tax and health insurance by foreign nationals. She is deliberately targeting foreign nationals who constitute only 3 percent of the population. Under the LDP, Japan is stridently marching towards militarisation and is targeting China with its nationalistic rhetoric. Japan is more closely allied with the US under the LDP.

Another dangerous feature of these elections is the growth of extreme right Sanseito among the urban regions. Its agenda is anti-women, anti-science, and aggressively militaristic. On the other hand, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) is steadily losing its base and vote share. In the present election, it could secure only 6 percent of the vote and lost in many of its traditional strongholds.

Nepal: In Nepal, the Rastritya Swatantra Party (RSP) won 182 out of the 275 seats in the Parliamentary elections held on 5 March. It had nearly won two-thirds of the seats. The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and the Nepali Congress suffered humiliating defeats in these elections, held after the mass protests. The Nepali Congress came in second with 38 seats, the CPN-UML was third with 25 seats and the Nepali Communist Party secured 17 seats, coming fourth. The elections mark a collapse of trust in traditional parties and the election of popular leaders who led the youth protests in 2025. This vote is a reflection of the people’s anger against the failure of the traditional parties to resolve the people’s issues. This is reflected in the election of a large number of candidates who are below 40 years of age and who are nationalistic.

The Balen Shah headed RSP government passed an ordinance banning trade unions and student unions in the country. In name of clearing roads, the government launched an anti-encroachment drive throughout the country, which received widespread opposition as there was no alternative rehabilitation plan. The Supreme Court of Nepal stayed all these decisions. These measures of the government within 100 days of assuming office, clearly point towards its class biases.

Bangladesh: In the parliamentary elections held on February 12, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged victorious with an overwhelming majority. The failure of the far-right Jamaat-e-Islami to win the elections is a positive feature. However, it won around 31 per cent of the vote share and substantially increased its seats. This is a threat that cannot be ignored. The Left parties, including the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), contested the elections as an alliance but could not win any seats. This is a setback for the Left and progressive forces.

Secular, democratic forces on both sides of the border should be vigilant and ensure that the ascendant communal forces do not create tensions between the people of both our countries. Border management is going to be crucial in this context.

Class Resistance to the Attacks

Unrest in Bolivia: The newly elected president of Bolivia is reversing the policies adopted by the earlier MAS administration of Evo Morales and even his own election promises. The people of Bolivia have risen against the government demanding an increase in wages, a change in the land classification policy and better living standards. They are demanding the president to step down from office. Indigenous people enforced a road blockade preventing goods from reaching the capital city. Workers, employees and all other sections of the society too joined these protests. These protests signify a momentous development in a country, which started aligning closely with the US and Israel and implementing policies benefiting the elite capitalist class. The protests are a reflection of people’s anger against such policies. They are demanding the government to share power with indigenous groups, address the concerns of the working class by increasing their wages and taxing the rich.

Working Class Struggles: In the last four months, there were many working class struggles across the globe. The May Day observations in various countries were used to express their anger against ruling classes.

United States: May Day protests spread across dozens of US cities under the banner ‘May Day Strong’. Demonstrators organised ‘no work, no school, no shopping’ actions in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

Europe: May Day protests were especially intense in France, Italy, Portugal, Greece and Turkey. In Paris, demonstrators opposed proposals to weaken Labour Day protections and against corporate profits during the energy crisis. In Italy, general strikes were held in transportation and public sector. In Istanbul, May Day demonstrations were brutally suppressed by the police. In Portugal, one of the largest industrial actions was held during this period. In Greece, workers organised huge demonstrations against war and also against austerity measures.

Latin America: In Argentina, unions mobilised against labour reforms proposed by President Javier Milei. The reforms aimed to make hiring and firing easier and restrict strikes, provoking strong union resistance and wide industrial action. In Chile, Colombia and Venezuela worker protests focused on inflation, wages, and inequality.

Asia-Pacific: Workers rallied in Thailand, Philippines, South Korea and Indonesia on demands of higher minimum wages, stronger labour protections and lower living costs. In Manila, Philippines, protesters clashed with police near the US embassy during anti-war and labour demonstrations.

Though these working class actions have varied by country, there are several common themes: (i) rising living costs and inflation; (ii) opposition to labour-law reforms; (iii) wage stagnation; (iv) energy-price shocks linked to the Iran war; (v) anti-austerity and anti-privatisation demands; and (vi) growing anger at inequality and ruling class parties.

National

The major trends of the National developments during this period are:

1. The assembly election results further consolidated the hold of the RSS-BJP over the political system;

2. The victory of BJP in Bengal is a major blow to the Left, progressive and secular forces;

3. State institutions like the ECI are openly carrying forward the RSS agenda, undermining the sanctity of the electoral process;

4. SIR is weaponised to permanently alienate and exclude certain sections of the society;

5. Workers’ spontaneous protests demonstrate the latent discontent brewing among them;

6. The attitude of the Congress is harming the unity of the opposition parties in the fight against RSS/BJP;

7. Contrary to government claims, Indian economy is on a very weak footing, with rising inflation, falling value of the rupee and lack of investments

Assembly Election Results: Assembly elections were held in five states – Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamilnadu, and West Bengal – in April. All the states witnessed huge voter turnouts. The SIR exercise, along with the fear that voters might lose their right to vote if they did not cast their ballots in these elections, also contributed to the high voter turnout, among various other reasons.

The two major features of the assembly election results are the serious setback to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Keralam and the victory of the BJP in West Bengal. The DMK-led alliance also suffered a setback in Tamilnadu, where the TVK led by Vijay emerged as the single largest party. The BJP was able to retain Assam and, along with the NR Congress, once again win in Puducherry.

In West Bengal and Assam, the results show the ascendancy of right-wing communal forces led by the BJP, which is a matter of deep concern for all secular, progressive and democratic forces.

Kerala: In Kerala, the overall voting saw a marginal increase in 2026. The total polling percentage was 78.03. The LDF was defeated in Keralam after ten years of continuous rule. The LDF could secure 37.44 percent of the votes in 2026, as against 44.44 percent it secured in 2021. The UDF vote share increased from 38.88 percent in 2021 to 46.55 percent in 2026. The LDF won only 35 seats in 2026, as against 99 which it had won in 2021. The UDF increased its seat tally from 40 in 2021 to 102 in 2026. The BJP was able to win three seats, while it had none in 2021. In six seats, it was second.

The CPI(M)’s vote share fell from 25.38 percent in 2021 to 21.77 percent in 2026, while the Congress vote share increased from 25.12 percent to 28.79 percent in the same period. Our vote share fell to its lowest in the past forty years and is a matter of serious concern.

The Party has to self-critically review the reasons that led to the defeat of the LDF in Keralam. The state committee of Keralam is in the process of collecting opinions from various levels of the Party to understand the reasons for the setback. All these opinions will be discussed threadbare in the state secretariat and state committee meetings that will be held from 5-8 June 2026 in Thiruvanantapuram. A team of Polit Bureau members will attend these meetings. On the basis of these discussions, corrective measures for the identified weaknesses will be undertaken, taking into confidence the entire Party.

The conduct of the Congress, making baseless allegations and spreading canards against the CPI(M), along with its soft approach towards communal forces, contributed to the growth of the BJP in Kerala, which could not be effectively exposed.

West Bengal: The voting in West Bengal saw a steep increase from 82.32 percent in 2021 to 92.47 percent in 2026. In absolute terms, this is an increase of more than 34 lakh votes polled. The Left Front contested these elections along with the CPI(ML) Liberation and the ISF. The Congress contested these elections alone.

In 2021, the TMC won 215 seats with a vote share of 48.59 percent. In these elections, it could win only 81 seats, securing 41.18 percent of the votes. The BJP won 77 seats in 2021 with a vote share of 37.97 percent, while it could win 206 seats with a vote share of 45.84 percent in 2026. Even though the vote share of the Congress fell marginally from 3.03 percent (2021) to 2.97 percent (2026), it succeeded in winning two seats, while it had none earlier. The Left Front secured 5.66 percent of the votes in 2021, which fell to 4.99 percent in 2026.

Our Party contested 139 seats in 2021 and secured 4.71 percent of the votes. In these elections, we contested 195 seats and secured 4.45 percent of the votes. We were able to win one seat, Domkal, in these elections and thus ensure our presence in the legislative assembly.

The victory of the BJP in West Bengal is a major blow and has been achieved on the basis of a communal, divisive and vitriolic hate campaign, the huge amount of money they spent, and the gross misuse of central agencies, including the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the SIR exercise. The BJP also benefited from the strong anti-incumbency against the corrupt and authoritarian TMC government. The danger of the ascendancy of BJP and its impact on the democratic structure of the society and peoples’ livelihood could not be thoroughly exposed.

Our Party was able to campaign in many areas in which we were earlier forcibly prevented from campaigning. Many of our cadre, particularly youngsters, actively participated in the campaign. The various activities and campaigns conducted by all our class and mass organisations also helped in our election campaign. Despite all our efforts, we were unable to convert all the goodwill generated by the campaign into votes, as people are not confident that we are sufficiently strong enough to defeat the corrupt-authoritarian TMC.

In West Bengal, all the Party units will meet and submit their opinions to the state committee, which will meet and finalise the review by the end of June.

Tamilnadu: Tamilnadu too witnessed a substantial increase in the voting percentage in these elections. In 2021, the voter turnout was 73.63 percent, which increased to 84.69 percent in 2026.

The ruling DMK alliance lost the elections to a new party, Tamilaga Vetriga Kazhagam TVK, which was formed by actor C. Joseph Vijay. The DMK won 133 seats in 2021 but could only win 59 in 2026. Its vote share too saw a fall from 46.45 percent in 2021 to 32.17 percent in these elections. The AIADMK-BJP alliance stood third in these elections. The BJP, which had 4 seats in 2021, was able to win only one seat in 2026, though its vote share saw a marginal increase (from 2.62 percent to 2.97 percent).

In 2021, our Party contested six seats as part of the DMK-led alliance and won two seats. This time, we contested five seats and won two seats. Our vote share, however, fell from 0.85 percent in 2021 to 0.6 percent in 2026.

The Governor of Tamil Nadu, an RSS cadre, flouting constitutional norms, tried to deny the leader of TVK, the largest party, the opportunity to form the government. This once again shows how the BJP tried to undermine election results by using the position of the Governor, even after TVK secured letters of support from the Left and also from the Congress. The VCK and the IUML also sent their letter of support to the TVK, which ultimately forced the Governor to invite TVK to form the government.

While both the CPI(M) and CPI stated that they would support the government from outside, the Congress decided to join the government. A section of the AIADMK legislators split and also extended support to the TVK.

Assam: In Assam, 85.38 percent polling was registered, which is an increase of 3.34 percent compared to 2021. The BJP was able to win the election with an increased majority and vote share. In 2021, it won 60 seats with a vote share of 33.21 percent. In 2026, it could win 82 seats with a vote share of 37.81 percent.

The main opposition party, Congress, once again failed to win the confidence of the people. While its vote share remained more or less the same, its seats have seen a fall. In 2021, it won 29 seats and a 29.67 percent vote share, while in 2026, it could win only 19 seats and 29.84 percent of the votes.

Our Party had seat adjustments with opposition parties, including the Congress. In 2021, we contested two seats and won one, securing 0.84 percent of the votes. In these elections, we contested two seats and failed to retain the seat. Our vote share too saw a fall and declined to 0.47 percent.

The delimitation of constituencies undertaken by the BJP government had changed the demography of many seats. This exercise was used by the BJP to secure its hold and continue to win elections. Our sitting constituency too was affected by the delimitation, as some of our strongholds are no longer part of it. This is also one of the factors that contributed to our defeat.

Puducherry: The voting percentage in Puducherry too saw an increase from 83.38 in 2021 to 89.83 in 2026. The NR Congress is the main party, with which BJP had an alliance, and won in these elections. Though the vote share of both the NR Congress and BJP decreased, they were able to retain power as they could maintain their majority by together winning 16 seats. In 2021, the NR Congress secured 25.85 percent of the votes, which fell to 23.12 percent in 2026. Similarly, the BJP vote share too fell from 13.66 percent in 2021 to 12.19 percent in 2026. The NR Congress increased its seats from 10 to 12, while the BJP seats were reduced from 6 to 4.

An independent supported by our Party won from Mahe. In the last elections, we could not win any seat. Our vote share too saw a small increase.

The Party must undertake an in-depth analysis of the reasons behind the continued growth of the BJP and how it is utilising the State machinery to achieve its objectives. Only such an analysis will help us devise correct tactics to confront and stop the rise of RSS-BJP-led Hindutva communal forces.

The state committees where elections were held are in the process of conducting a review of the elections. The Central Committee will meet from July 11-13, 2026 and on the basis of all the state reviews, it will carry out a thorough review of the results. Rectification of the identified weaknesses will be immediately undertaken from top to bottom.

INDIA Bloc: The attitude of the Congress towards the fellow opposition parties is not helping in building unity of secular forces. Immediately after the recently concluded Assembly elections in Tamilnadu, it broke with the DMK and joined the TVK government. The DMK was upset with this decision and wrote to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, asking for separate seating arrangements. Even during the Bihar elections, it behaved in a high-handed manner, which irked the RJD. The comments made by top-most leaders of the Congress, including the Leader of the Opposition, against our Party during the Keralam Assembly elections need to be condemned. They have maliciously alleged our Party, which has unblemished secular credentials, of entering into a deal with the BJP. Such behaviour does not help in the united fight against the RSS-BJP, which is the need of the hour.

Our Party will continue to coordinate with the INDIA bloc in the Parliament. We will strive to mobilise Left, democratic and secular forces in the struggle against Hindutva communalism, the misuse of State institutions for promoting the agenda of the RSS-BJP and against attacks on the democratic rights of the people.

Delimitation: The BJP-led Union government tried to push its agenda of changing the electoral map of the country in the name of carrying out the delimitation exercise. It linked the women’s reservation with delimitation and sought to win support. The opposition collectively defeated the BJP’s designs, as the proposal required a constitutional amendment and hence a two-thirds majority. The BJP tried to project the entire opposition as anti-women but could not succeed. Though the opposition was able to push back the BJP’s efforts this time, the danger of delimitation persists. The way the entire exercise is proposed is intended to benefit the BJP electorally, particularly to gain sufficient majority in the parliament to amend and alter the Constitution. It is also intended to decrease the influence of southern states, where the BJP continues to have a weak presence. This once again demonstrates that the BJP is now effectively using State institutions to implement its agenda.

We need to demand the implementation of the women’s reservation starting from the next round of elections. There is no need to link it with the delimitation exercise.

Impact of SIR: The SIR exercise, initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the Bihar assembly elections, had a huge impact on the recently concluded assembly elections in West Bengal. The ECI introduced a new category, ‘logical discrepancies’, which was used to delete nearly 2.7 million names from the electoral rolls, even after these voters appealed and furnished all appropriate documentary evidence. Various studies are reporting the impact such deletions had on the electoral outcome. Never in the history of independent India have electoral rolls been tampered with to ensure the interests of a particular political party. The entire exercise undermines the credibility of our election system. Using their cadre, who have penetrated almost all echelons of state institutions, the RSS-BJP is trying to achieve its objectives. The appointment of an two officers who played an active role in conducting elections into the post of advisor to the newly sworn-in BJP Chief Minister of Bengal and Chief Secretary, is proof of such penetration. The ECI’s role in pushing ahead with the SIR without listening to the various parties that are critical of the process is a clear example of this.

The ECI announced its plans to conduct SIR in 17 more states. The Party’s position on the SIR is that no genuine citizen should be denied of their right to vote. The ECI is crossing the line drawn on its powers through the SIR and unfortunately, the Supreme Court has not given the verdict on the validity of this process.

SIR and Attack on Beneficiaries: The BJP governments in Bihar and Bengal announced that those whose names are deleted from the electoral rolls in the SIR process will not be allowed to access government benefits. The Bihar government announced that five lakh ration cards have already been withdrawn on the basis of SIR. It is established that lakhs of genuine citizens were deleted from the voter lists through the SIR process, despite them showing various documentary evidence. Lakhs of people have filed appeals against the deletion, and their appeals are still pending. Even they will not be allowed to access benefits until their appeals are adjudicated. The BJP governments are not ready to recognise even the Aadhar Card as a valid document for accessing government schemes. The post-SIR voters list is sought to be made proof. This is contrary to all democratic principles and is a brazen attempt to downgrade the citizenship of certain sections of people and their rights. As many reports indicate, Muslims, Dalits and other marginalised sections are the majority whose names were deleted during the SIR exercise. The Party should not allow such discrimination and should immediately intervene by rallying the people.

Vande Mataram: The government has issued guidelines on the observance of India’s National Song, Vande Mataram, directing that all six stanzas of the official version must be rendered first whenever the National Song and the National Anthem are performed together. This does not reflect the spirit of the Constitution. The Constitution of India clearly states in Article 51A(a) that it is the duty of every citizen to respect the National Flag and the National Anthem. After thorough deliberation, the Constituent Assembly adopted the statement made by President Rajendra Prasad concerning the National Song, of which only two stanzas would be sung. Through its recent order, the government seeks to include the remaining four stanzas, which the Constituent Assembly felt did not resonate with the secular character of the Indian Republic. The BJP-led Union government is creating a controversy concerning the National Song and the National Anthem with ulterior motives.

Notification of Labour Codes: The BJP-led Union Government wished to operationalise the Labour Codes from April 1, 2026 itself, but waited until the Assembly elections were over in four states and a union territory to notify the rules. Within just four days after the announcement of the results, they have now operationalised the Labour Codes. This exposes the deceptive modus operandi of the BJP-led Union Government. The BJP-led governments in the states are eager to implement the Labour Codes and have prepared the state draft rules. The fact that it proceeded to notify the rules, ignoring the mass protests of workers demanding minimum wages and better living conditions, and opposing long working hours, exposes the anti-working class character of the BJP.

The state governments should exercise their legislative powers under the Constitution of India to bring in corrective amendments to the Labour Codes and protect the interests of the workers, instead of operationalising them as per the Central Rules that have been notified.

The Party should stand with the workers in resisting the implementation of these newly notified rules for the Labour Codes.

Rural Employment Guarantee: The Union government notified that the VBGRAMG will come into force from July 1, 2026. The government did not clarify several crucial aspects, including the objective parameters and formula for deciding the normative budget, which will determine how much each state receives. Under the new scheme, the expenditure will be split between the Centre and the states in a 60:40 ratio for most states. The government stated that existing job cards that are e-KYC verified will remain valid until Gramin Rozgar Guarantee cards are issued. But as of 7 May, 11.58 crore registered workers (45.4 percent) and 0.95 crore active workers (9.5 percent) are yet to complete e-KYC. Attendance will be captured by the National Mobile Monitoring System, and there are many concerns about the reliance on digital systems in areas with patchy internet coverage. There are many such issues that are going to crop up in the coming days.

Indian Economy: All the major financial institutions are cutting down on India’s growth forecasts, bringing down the very optimistic estimates announced by the government and the RBI. The current estimates are that our economy will grow by 6-6.5 per cent in this fiscal year.

The economy is characterised by increasing corporate sector profits, contrasted by weak purchasing power and low quality of employment (informal, casual, contractual, together with under-employment). In many sectors, we even notice job losses due to the adverse impact of government policies on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

Unemployment rose from 4.9 percent in February to 5.1 percent in March according to NSSO data. Unemployment rose from 14.8 percent in February to 15.2 percent in March for the youth in the age group of 15-29 years. At least 38,000 jobs were lost in the technology sector this year. Apart from the growing usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI), there are many other factors like weakening demand, geopolitical and trade uncertainties which contributed to the job losses.

According to the latest Economic Survey, the corporate profit-to-GDP ratio reached around 4.7-4.8 percent, the highest in the last 15-17 years. On average, corporate profits rose by 15-25 percent annually across all major sectors. Just 877 companies accounted for nearly 65 percent of India Inc.’s total pre-tax profits, demonstrating the increasing concentration of wealth.

Conservative estimates point out that corporate profits rose 2-4 times faster than wages. Real wages for workers fell by around 5 percent annually in the last ten years. On the other hand, the wages paid to the CEOs of big corporates increased by 10-20 percent annually. All these factors are leading to widening inequalities.

As a result, India continues to remain the world’s most unequal country, with the highest income and wealth inequality rates. Gender inequality rates too are the highest due to huge wage differences and unequal and unpaid care work.

The ruling classes are not ready to invest, because of the consumption demand constraints. Instead of taking steps to increase purchasing power, the bourgeoisie are pressurising the government to create even more favourable conditions for investment by suppressing wages. The notification for operationalisation of labour laws, various government incentives like the Electronics Components Manufacturing Incentive, announced to benefit the corporations, and the repression of worker protests are all part of the government’s efforts to lure private sector investment.

Even in the agricultural sector, the poor and middle farmers are hard hit by rising input costs, scarcity of fertilizers, and poor market access.

Budget: The 2026-27 Budget demonstrates the BJP government’s commitment to promote the interests of corporates and the wealthy, at the cost of working people and socially oppressed sections of society, as well as larger national economic interests.

The Union Budget further strengthened the centralisation of resources by denying states their rightful share. Transfers to states under centrally sponsored schemes, Finance Commission grants, and other transfers show a further drop of Rs. 59,456 crore in the Budget Estimates compared to the 2025-26 Budget Estimates. This is taking place at a time when states are facing a severe financial crunch due to poor GST revenue realisations and the new burdens imposed on them by shifting part of the expenditure onto the states, like increasing their share in the VBGRAMG.

With the active connivance of biased presiding officers, the government did not allow any opportunity for the opposition to raise any matter critical of it. The contents of the trade deals with the US and EU were not placed before Parliament for discussion. Eight members of the Lok Sabha were suspended until the end of the session for protesting against the denial of the right to speak.

The Impact of War: The Indian economy was severely impacted by the US-instigated war in West Asia. Because of the increase in fuel import bill, the Current Account Deficit (CAD) has increased to 2 percent of the GDP and if the crisis persists, it is expected to inch towards the dangerous zone of 3 percent. To meet this crisis, the government increased the prices of fuel, LPG, fertilizers and customs tax on gold and silver by 6 to 15 percent. This is an attempt to reduce imports, protect foreign exchange reserves, and support the rupee, which has fallen to record lows.

Fuel Price Hike: The Union government increased the prices of LPG cylinders, particularly commercial cylinders, and imposed many restrictions on usage. There is a scarcity of LPG. In roughly three months, commercial LPG prices increased by around Rs 1,300 per cylinder in many cities. Domestic cylinder prices were increased by Rs 60 in March. Immediately after the election results were announced, in the last 11 days, petrol and diesel prices have been raised by over Rs 7 per litre through multiple hikes. The increases came in four phases – Rs 3.00, 90 paise, 87 paise and Rs 2.61 per litre. All these measures led to a sharp increase in the prices of food and other essential commodities. Due to rising living costs, many migrant workers left their jobs and migrated back to their original states, as they were unable to buy even LPG cylinders. Small establishments and several MSMEs shut shop.

The neglect of energy security under the BJP regime is also responsible for the present perilous situation. Not only are Indian strategic petroleum reserves low, they are only 64 percent of the full capacity when the crisis broke out. As far as the LPG is concerned, it is far less than necessary for two days of use. The failure to maintain strategic reserves demonstrates the government’s lack of foresight to meet such exigencies.

Many risks are now converging. The rising prices of oil are already leading to an increase in the prices of fuel, travel, and transportation. As a result, the prices of all essential commodities, including food, are rising exponentially. Second, the forecast of a below-normal monsoon for 2026 raises the spectre of a food price shock. On top of it, the scarcity of fertilizers during the peak agricultural season is going to seriously affect our food crop production. A weak kharif season could further push up prices of pulses, cereals, and vegetables, squeeze rural incomes, and add a domestic supply-side layer to already building global pressures. Inflation is projected to average around 5 percent, which would erode household purchasing power.

Another reflection of the weak economic situation, is the huge outflow of foreign investments. The cumulative outflows have already surpassed last year’s total. Overseas investors have pulled out about $22.17 billion so far this year, exceeding the $18.9 billion recorded in all of 2025, underscoring the scale of the shift in capital flows. The rupee has weakened to record lows of around Rs 95 per US dollar in early May, marking a depreciation of over 5 per cent since the start of the year.

PM’s Call for Austerity: It is extremely ironic that the Prime Minister called upon the people to implement austerity measures due to the ongoing war in West Asia. The government has utterly failed to safeguard the interests of the people because of its decision to completely align with the US-Israel axis, which was responsible for the attacks on Iran (a fellow member of BRICS) and for the present situation. Instead of asking the people to consume less and lead an austere life, the government could join the Global South in pressuring the US to stop its attacks and allow free transit through the Strait of Hormuz. If the government had some foresight and diversified its oil basket, we would not be in the present predicament.

The agricultural season is going to start very shortly, and if fertilizers are not made available to farmers on a priority basis, our food production will be severely affected. This will have a debilitating effect on the livelihood of our people and on the entire economy. It is the duty of the government to immediately take steps to procure fertilizers and make them available to farmers.

The Prime Minister’s statement exposes the claims of the BJP-led Union government that there is nothing to worry about the Indian economy. His statement itself proves that all is not well with the economy. The timing of the PM’s statements also needs to be noted – they were made days after the announcement of the election results. This has been done deliberately to gloss over the economic reality from the people, with an eye on winning elections on the basis of falsehoods.

The Party should be ready to resist burdens that the government intends to impose in the name of austerity.

US-India Trade Deal: The Union government entered into an interim trade deal with the United States that is highly detrimental to the country’s interests. The joint statement announced states that India will buy $500 billion worth of US goods. The trade deal will devastate the lives of crores of Indian peasants and workers. While Indian goods will be subject to 18 percent tariffs, US goods will be allowed entry with zero tariffs. For most Indian goods, this effectively means an increase in tariffs, whereas for US goods, it represents a reduction to zero. This clearly exposes the lopsided character of the deal.

Despite the government’s claims that Indian agriculture and farmers’ interests are protected, the details of the agreement prove otherwise. Fruit growers, particularly apple cultivators, will be adversely affected, along with those cultivating soybeans and cotton. The government has also agreed to remove non-tariff barriers to facilitate greater market access for US goods.

The government has further agreed to reduce taxes on digital goods and services exported by the US. This move further opens up the Indian market to the exploitation of US digital corporations. The government began this process by completely eliminating the digital tax levied on companies like Google in the last Union Budget. This benefit is now being extended to other digital platforms and products as well till 2047.

All available details of the interim deal indicate that the government has surrendered before the US. A new situation emerged after the judgment of the US Supreme Court nullifying US President Donald Trump’s authority to impose tariffs. Trump imposed 15 per cent tariffs on all countries using another legal provision. Even close US allies such as the European Union (EU) have suspended their trade deal with the US following the judgment. However, the BJP-led government has shown no willingness to withdraw from the unequal trade deal, which further highlights the BJP government’s failure to resist US pressure.

All these developments expose the extent to which the Indian government has compromised national sovereignty.

EU-India Free Trade Agreement: Another agreement signed by the government was with the EU. This agreement also sacrifices the country’s interests by opening its market to capital from the EU. Under the terms of the deal, India will eliminate or drastically reduce tariffs on over 90 per cent of goods imported from the EU. Due to such steep tariff reductions, India’s automobile, pharmaceutical, and machinery industries will be severely and adversely affected. The EU spends nearly 31 per cent of its budget on agriculture, which translates into heavy subsidies for its farmers. It would be impossible for our farmers to compete with the farmers from EU.

February 12 General Strike: The General Strike call given by the Central Trade Unions (CTUs) was successful, with many industrial clusters shut in various states. There is visible anger among workers against the notification of Labour Codes and other attacks launched by the government. The BMS, trade union front of the RSS, played a treacherous role by opposing the General Strike and also supporting the notification of the Labour Codes. In many factories and work places, the workers openly came out against the BMS and joined the strike and protests.

Workers Protests: The past two months have witnessed some of the most intense and spontaneous working-class protests. These protests were primarily concentrated around the National Capital Region (NCR), though they were also held in other states. Major strikes and protest actions have been reported in at least 60 locations across states such as Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Key industrial clusters, including Noida, Manesar and other parts of the NCR, Bharuch, Surat, Korba, Singrauli, Ramgarh, Rudrapur, and Panipat, have emerged as focal points of struggle. The strikes have taken place in core industrial belts – particularly in sectors such as power generation, mining, construction, logistics, and heavy industry.

Workers were protesting against the inhuman exploitation and working conditions, the increasing cost of living, and the failure of the respective state governments to revise minimum wages for decades and ensure their payment. The steep rise in LPG cylinder prices accentuated their burdens and acted as the immediate trigger for these protests.

A majority of the protesting workers are contract workers, migrant labourers, and informal workers. Many of them are young and recently employed. They have effectively used modern communication channels like social media to vent their grievances and also to mobilise. And in most places, they protested spontaneously without any union to lead them.

The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh tried to suppress these protests and unleashed police forces. Hundreds of workers were arrested, and many of them are still in jails. However, the intensity of the protests and the attention they gained throughout the country forced the government to increase minimum wages, though the increase itself is paltry.

Our task now is to consolidate our strength and organisation around these centres of struggle, and prepare to act and respond quickly and in coordination in any situation. To turn these struggles into a broader political movement, we need conscious and organised intervention: identify the centres of struggle, build contacts and organisation in a planned manner, protect the workers and the struggle, and mobilise other sections of society in support of these issues and the movement.

Communal Threat and Attacks on Minorities

MP High Court judgment in the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque: The judgement delivered by the Madhya Pradesh High Court in the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque dispute has wider ramifications for the secular and democratic foundations of the Indian republic. The judgement echoes the very same arguments made by the Supreme Court in the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi title suit and is bound to have a significant bearing on similar disputes.

The judgement is part of a growing trend in which historical and religious disputes are increasingly being reopened and adjudicated risking a deepening of communal divisions. The judgement ignores the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which was enacted by Parliament to prevent endless communal contestations over religious sites. The High Court judgement is in complete contravention of the provisions of this Act.

The judgement would only help communal forces like the BJP-RSS, which have consistently sought to divert peoples attention from their pressing concerns by raking up such divisive issues. The judiciary should uphold the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution, as communalism in all forms constitutes a grave threat.

Attacks on Minorities: Attacks on minorities continue unabated. In Telangana a Muslim vendor was attacked during the tribal festival, Sammakka-Sarakka jatara. Kashmiri shawl vendors were attacked in Haryana and Uttarakhand. Such attacks on Muslim shopkeepers and small businesses are on the rise in many parts of the country. Attacks on Muslims offering Namaz during Ramadan are being reported from various states.

The BJP from its official social media handle released a video of the Chief Minister of Assam shooting at Muslims, showing the extent to which these Hindutva forces go to spread communal hatred. This was done keeping in mind the assembly elections and further polarise the society on communal lines.

In Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, a young Hindu gym owner resisted an attack by a group of activists from Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Muslim shop owners, showcasing the enduring secular tendencies that still exist in society.

ABVP goondas attacked SFI, AISA demonstrators in JNU. The RSS demolished SFI, CITU flagpoles in Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. These are evidences of the attacks launched by these forces on Left and progressive movements.

Attacks on Women, Dalits and Adivasis: The recent incident of gang-rape in a moving bus in national capital Delhi, is a reminder of the growing atrocities and sexual attacks on women in our country. The son of a Union Minister of State from Telangana was accused of sexually abusing a minor girl. It was only after huge public pressure that the Congress government could arrest him under POCSO Act. The BJP and minister tried their best to protect him.

According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau statistics, the highest number of crimes against women, Adivasis, and Dalits are reported in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh – all states ruled by the BJP. Though the latest NCRB data (for 2024) released in May shows a fall in crimes against these groups, nothing could be further from the truth. A decline in registered cases does not indicate a real fall in crime; it suggests filtering mechanisms, administrative inertia, or investigative incapacity. Under-reporting of crimes, delayed investigations, low conviction rates, intimidation of victims, and uneven implementation of laws remain major problems. This shows that BJP governments, both at the Centre and in the states, have made it much harder for victims to even register a case against perpetrators of atrocities. With the BJP in power in many states and the dominant influence of Manuvadi ideology on the administrative machinery, it has become even more difficult for victims of caste-based and gender-based violence to report crimes and seek justice.

In 2024, cybercrime cases crossed the one-lakh mark for the first time, rising more than 17 percent in a year. Deaths due to drug overdose saw a massive 50 percent increase, and there was about a 6 percent rise in crimes against children. India’s criminal justice system continues to suffer from weak conviction rates and mounting pendency. Case pendency increased from 29.2 percent to 31.2 percent.

Amendments to the Transgender Law: The government pushed through amendments to the Transgender Rights Law which is a regressive move. It undermines the Supreme Court’s 2014 judgement, which established the right to self-perceived gender identity as a fundamental aspect of personal liberty and dignity. The Act’s definition of a transgender person now excludes trans men, trans women, and non-binary individuals who identify outside traditional socio-cultural categories, forcing them to seek recognition solely through a restrictive, medically oriented framework. The Act effectively replaces self-identification with a system of intrusive medical gatekeeping, where a State-appointed medical board must certify an individual’s identity before legal recognition is granted. The amendments were rushed through Parliament without meaningful consultation with the transgender community or statutory bodies like the National Council for Transgender Persons (NCTP).

The Party reiterates that self-identification should be the criteria through which gender identity is determined and the State should not intervene.

Protests against UGC Guidelines: The Union government was forced to announce UGC guidelines, ‘For the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026’. There are some serious inadequacies in these guidelines, particularly the way in which discrimination is defined, the way Equity Committees are constituted, and most importantly, the removal of the role of state governments, under which a majority of universities are run. The BJP/RSS affiliated organisations ran a virulently casteist campaign against even these inadequate guidelines by mobilising upper-caste students. The Supreme Court was influenced by these protests and suspended the implementation of these guidelines, which is a blow to ensuring social justice and promoting equity. The government must strengthen mechanisms to identify, determine and eliminate all forms of discrimination prevalent in all higher education institutions (including institutions like the IIMs, IITs and AIIMS). The state governments should also be involved in the entire process of ensuring equity and eliminating discrimination in higher education institutions.

NEET Paper Leak: It is becoming clear that BJP leaders were behind the leakage of the NEET exam paper. Paper leakages occur due to the connivance of corrupt and vested interests who are insensitive to the students concerns. This is not the first time that exam papers have been leaked after the Union government assigned the task of conducting exams to the National Testing Agency (NTA). The NTA should be disbanded immediately, and conduct of examinations should be decentralised, with the responsibility of conducting exams being handed over to the concerned government agencies, as earlier. Nearly 22 lakh students affected by this leak are now subjected to unnecessary psychological pressure for which they are not responsible. A thorough enquiry should be conducted on the leakage and all the guilty punished. Concrete steps to prevent any such leakage in the future should be initiated.

The evaluation of the CBSE 12 class answer sheets is proving to be another mishap in making due to the faulty process of digital evaluation. The government appears to be totally insensitive to the students and their future. Immediate steps should be taken to ensure that teachers are given all necessary facilities for checking the papers with due attention and care and students are not punished for no fault of theirs.

Cockroach Janata Party: The Cockroach Janata Party emerged as a satire on the oral observations made by the Chief Justice of India in the Court. The Union government reacted with vengeance by banning the social media handles of the CJP. The Hindutva troll army launched attack on Abhijeet Dipke, the creator of the CJP. This once again demonstrates the authoritarian character of the BJP and its refusal to tolerate dissent. The huge online support for the CJP reflects the prevailing discontent against the BJP government on issues such as unemployment. Instead of addressing the genuine concerns of the youth, the government is branding ‘cockroaches’ too as anti-national, once again showing its face of intolerance.

FIFA World Cup: The government of India should immediately take steps for the telecast of the football world cup that will be held in June-July. The corporate monopoly of broadcasters and the profit seeking FIFA, both are responsible for the current impasse, which denies Indians from watching the premier sporting event. The government should intervene through the public broadcaster and ensure that the event is available for live viewership.

Discriminatory Attitude in Sports: Various international sporting bodies are openly discriminating and acting at the behest of the US. Russia was banned from taking part in international sporting events in the name of its attack on Ukraine. On the other hand, they are not acting against both the US and Israel, which are responsible for the genocide in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon. This discriminatory attitude should stop.

Meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers: As the chair of BRICS, India hosted a meeting of the foreign ministers of the member and partner countries. This followed an earlier meeting of the defence ministers. Both meetings failed to come out with a joint statement, forcing the chair to issue a statement. The differences between the UAE and Iran over the characterisation of the US-Israel aggression in West Asia are the major reason for the failure to issue a joint statement. The reluctance of the Indian government to firmly condemn the attack was also a factor. This exposes the chinks within the BRICS+ group.

Indian Foreign Policy

Modi’s Visit to Israel: The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, went on a two-day visit to Israel at a time when Israel was violating the ceasefire, continuing its war in Gaza, and occupying the West Bank. During the course of the visit, it was announced that military, economic, and strategic ties between India and Israel would be strengthened. His address to the Israeli Parliament demonstrates a complete alignment of Indian foreign policy interests with Israel and the United States. This is a departure from India’s long-held position supporting the Palestinian cause and upholding the right of Palestinians to Statehood. The visit was all the more inopportune because it took place just two days before the US launched its attack on Iran.

The Indian government failed to unequivocally condemn the US aggression against Iran. As the Chair of BRICS, this failure is even more glaring, and it is losing its standing among the countries of the Global South. Despite mounting US pressure on Cuba, the Indian government is not ready to take a firm position expressing its solidarity with Cuba. This is yet another demonstration of the BJP-led Union government’s subservient foreign policy stance.

Surrender of Maoists: The surrender of senior leaders is a big blow to the Maoist movement. The government announced that it has successfully eliminated ‘Left-wing extremism’ by the end of March 2026 and reached the target it had set. In this process, it unleashed brutal violence in Maoist-affected areas and carried out fake encounters. Without addressing the basic issue of socio-economic deprivation, mere military methods cannot eliminate Naxalism.

Jan Vishwas Bill: The government’s Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 has a sweeping scope and poses major problems of accountability and the rule of law. It was passed without following due legislative process. It replaces various criminal penalties with fines for hundreds of offences, particularly those committed by big corporations. The Jan Vishwas Act 2.0 transfers the power to impose penalties from the judiciary to bureaucrats. Through this bill the government amended 79 central laws through a single piece of legislation. It has decriminalized 717 provisions to promote ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and amended 67 provisions to improve ‘Ease of Living’. Violation of workplace safety and protection of lives of the workers were decrimilalised. The basic premise of the bill is to ensure that corporations are able to have unhindered access to natural resources and exploit them. It undermines the rule of law, legalises and incentivises violations through this legislation. This is another example of the corporate-communal nexus, with the BJP using State power to benefit its corporate allies.

Role of Judiciary: The role of judiciary is increasingly coming under scrutiny due to its inability to protect the Constitutional principles and democratic rights. This is glaringly visible in the judgement given on the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque dispute, its verdict on the SIR and such other issues. The comments and oral observations made by the judges in open courts are also at times against the accepted judicial practices and constitutional values. These acts expose its class bias and the urgent need to reform.

Environmental Destruction of Nicobar Islands: The Union government announced Rs 72,000 crores ‘Holistic Development of Greater Nicobar Island Plan’. The government is proceeding to implement this plan which has a devastating ecological impact and is an existential threat to indigenous tribes. This is being implemented without carrying out all the stipulated procedural rules when undertaking such a project in predominantly tribal regions. The project is slated to clear approximately 130-166 square kilometers of ancient, old-growth rainforests, involving the felling of an estimated 850,000 to nearly a million trees. This area includes over 84 square kilometers currently designated as a Tribal Reserve. The island is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home to over 1,700 endemic species. The government plans to carry out compensatory afforestation in Haryana, which is thousands of kilometres away from the island. While the government insists no tribal communities will be displaced, a leaked ‘Comprehensive Tribal Welfare Plan’ from the local administration detailing the relocation of Nicobarese families has exposed a fundamental contradiction in the government’s stance. The government did not carry out a proper Environmental Impact Assessment and is in violation of the Forest Rights Act. The entire project lacks transparency, is shrouded in mystery and is yet another example of the government favouring select corporate houses at the cost of the country’s interests.

The government should undertake measures for the comprehensive development of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, without destroying the sensitive ecology of the region or affecting the lives of the tribals living on that lands.

Organisational Issues

• The Report on Jan Akrosh Jathas was placed in the CC. All the state committees should plan and conduct follow-up activities on the demands raised during the jathas and 24 March rally.

• The CC reviewed the implementation of 12 February General Strike and also the various spontaneous workers’ protests that took place during this period.

• Party accounts were placed and approved by the CC.

• A need for collecting central fund was discussed and the quotas were fixed for all the states. (A separate circular is being sent with details)

• The ‘Draft Review of the Student Front and Tasks’ was introduced in the CC and will be adopted after considering the amendments/suggestions of the CC members.

• Membership scrutiny should be completed and sent to the Centre by 31 May. The next CC meeting will finalise the scrutiny report for 2026.

• The Party news portal, Left Views is operational. A presentation was made and it was decided to increase the viewership and reach of the portal. (A separate circular is being sent with details)

• The next meeting of the CC will be held from July 11-13, 2026 in Delhi to finalise the election review report.

Future Tasks

Anti-Imperialist Campaign: The Party will conduct an extensive anti-imperialist campaign against US aggression on Iran, Palestine, Venezuela and Cuba in the month of June. It will mobilise people by organising seminars, meetings and protest demonstrations against US aggression.

Cuba Solidarity – Fidel Centenary: This year is Fidel Castro’s birth centenary, which will be observed from 13 August. 25 November is his tenth death anniversary. We need to organise activities in solidarity with Cuba, particularly targeting youth and students. Sports and cultural festivals can be suggested as forms of the campaign. We must take the lead in forming broad-based state-level Cuba solidarity committees, with all the mass and class organisations of the Left parties, employee associations/unions/federations, like that of insurance, bank, telecom, NGOs, etc., eminent intellectuals, cultural artists and prominent anti-imperialist activists, before the end of June.

Campaign for Right to Vote: The Party will launch an extensive campaign in defence of democratic rights, particularly for safeguarding the right to vote. The campaign will focus on the biased role of the ECI and against its actions as an adjunct of the ruling party. Widespread public opinion will be mobilised demanding the ECI to play an impartial and neutral role and complete transparency in the entire electoral process – from voter enrollment to the conduct of elections, EVMs, and counting. A Note on all the issues would be prepared by the Party Centre.

Campaign for Implementation of Women’s Reservation: All the Party units should support the protests called by the women’s organisations for the immediate implementation of the women’s reservation in legislatures. The Party needs to mobilise people in support of this demand along with other class and mass organisations. They will be held on every day of the upcoming Parliament session.

Struggle Against Labour Codes: The Party should stand with the workers in resisting the implementation of these newly notified rules for the Labour Codes. A campaign must be conducted demanding the state governments to exercise their legislative powers under the Constitution to bring in corrective amendments to the Labour Codes and protect the interests of the workers, instead of operationalising them as per the Central Rules. The report submitted by Justice Gopala Gowda Committee to the erstwhile LDF government in Keralam, suggesting legal ways to protect the rights of the workers can be a model for other states.

The Party should build contacts in all the places where recent spontaneous workers’ struggles have taken place. Our trade union should be built in these places, and steps should be taken to organise workers. The Party, along with other mass organisations, should give confidence to the workers who are facing state repression.

Rural Employment Guarantee: The Party needs to be vigilant and ensure that the rights of agricultural workers and those who are dependent on rural employment guarantee act are protected, as the new VBGRAMG will come into force from 1 July.

The Party should stand in solidarity with all the affected workers and lead protests against the denial of employment. We reiterate the demand for the scrapping of the VBGRAMG and its replacement by a strengthened MGNREGA, with guaranteed work and enhanced wages.

Availability of Fertilizers: Reports are coming from various states about the scarcity of fertilizers. As the agricultural season is fast approaching, farmers will be badly affected by the scarcity and will be concerned. The Party should take the initiative to lead the farmers.

The Party will support the peasant and agricultural workers’ organisations in organising protests against these attacks and for their rights.

Classes for CCMs: Classes for Central Committee members are tentatively proposed in October.