New Delhi, The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has expressed deep concern over the controversial Special Integrated Revision (SIR) of the voter list taken up by the Central Election Commission (CEC) in the context of the Bihar Assembly elections. The CPM stated that this is not a process undertaken by the Election Commission but a joint political project of the RSS and the BJP. It also said that the rising attacks on women, Dalits and Adivasis in the country are a consequence of the hateful Manuvadi ideology being propagated by the RSS. The CPM expressed concern over the statistics that indicate rising unemployment, falling wages and a generally unhealthy economic situation. It called on all opposition parties to build united struggles and intensified collective action against these anti-people policies. On the 13th and 14th of this month, the CPM Polit Bureau met in New Delhi. The party decided to hold the next Central Committee meeting on January 16 -18 next year in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. On Sunday, a statement was released summarizing the resolutions passed on national and international developments. Here are the details.
● Misuse of Power and Money Flow in the Bihar Elections.
A record 67% voter turnout was registered in the Bihar Assembly elections an increase of 9.6% compared to the previous elections. Notably, 71.6% of women voted, indicating significantly increased political participation among women. An analysis of vote percentages shows that the NDA’s vote share did not increase significantly compared to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, yet it managed to strengthen its position in the state Assembly.
During the elections, the ruling coalition fully exploited the government machinery. Numerous irregularities took place. Massive amounts of money were spent. Large numbers of workers were brought in from outside the state. By provoking religious and caste sentiments, NDA leaders mobilized votes in their favor. Even the Prime Minister and Home Minister delivered such speeches. Corporate media amplified their rhetoric, pushing aside the many public issues raised by the Mahagathbandhan.
The Bihar elections demonstrate that, to defeat the BJP, opposition parties must make more coordinated efforts and conduct joint struggles to expose its anti-people policies. The CPM will thoroughly review the partial conduct of the Central Election Commission. It will study whether the SIR process and other factors affected the results. The CPM thanked not only those who voted for its candidates but also those who voted for other opposition candidates.
● Delhi Blasts Government Failure.
It is becoming clear that an extensive network was involved in the bomb attack in Delhi. This incident once again exposed the government’s failure in providing security to the public and preventing terror attacks. After the Pahalgam attack, the government claimed that its ‘Operation Sindoor’ had destroyed the basic infrastructure of terrorists particularly Jaish-e-Mohammed’s headquarters. But now, with the government stating that Jaish was responsible for the latest attack, those claims have proved hollow. The government must immediately identify the terror networks behind these attacks and bring all conspirators to justice. It must also firmly oppose attempts to use this incident as a pretext to divide society on religious grounds.
● Kerala’s Historic Achievement.
On November 1st, the LDF government in Kerala announced that it had achieved a historic victory in eradicating extreme poverty in the state. This was made possible through meticulous, well-planned implementation of the Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme(EPEP). Over four years, 64,006 families were identified through data collected with local bodies’ involvement and their needs were addressed. This achievement stands as proof of the effectiveness of Kerala’s development model, rooted in progressive politics and decentralized governance. The state accomplished this despite the central government’s continuous economic warfare and withholding of funds to opposition-ruled states. With strong political will and commitment, the Left government achieved outstanding welfare results even within limitations. This victory, therefore, must be viewed as highly significant. The Polit Bureau appealed to the people of Kerala to vote for LDF candidates in the upcoming local body elections and to defeat the UDF and BJP’s communal forces. It stated that the UDF has been aligning with BJP and other communal forces.
● Private Monopoly over Energy Sovereignty.
Through a new bill intended to be introduced and passed in the upcoming winter session of Parliament, the central government is aggressively moving to privatize the electricity sector. The bill aims to completely alter the nature of the electricity sector, turning it into a financially profitable market. If passed, the bill will impose significant tariff shocks on agricultural and household consumers. State DISCOMs will be weakened. The nation’s energy sovereignty will fall into the hands of private monopolies. The bill directly attacks federalism and the right to livelihood. The CPM will mobilize public opinion against the proposed changes. It will support the worker and farmer unions already leading struggles against electricity privatization. The Polit Bureau appealed to all sections of society to join and strengthen this struggle.
● ‘Shram Shakti Policy – Meant to Undermine Workers’ Rights.
The draft of the ‘Shram Shakti Polic’ released by the Ministry of Labor aims to dismantle protections currently available to workers, weaken enforcement mechanisms, and undermine collective bargaining rights. The bill is inspired by the Manusmriti. It directly attacks the democratic, secular, republican Constitution. By using economic incentives to force states to implement pro-corporate labor codes, the central government is weakening the federal structure. This is a deceptive attempt to enforce labor codes, tailored to suit the government’s corporate Hindutva authoritarian rule.
● BJP–RSS Joint Political Project.
The SIR process being carried out across twelve states is a political project of the BJP and RSS, implemented through the Central Election Commission. Its purpose is to systematically remove lakhs of voters from the electoral rolls. Based on controversial procedures used in Bihar, documentation requirements are being tightened, and the outdated 2002 baseline is being used to covertly create a National Register of Citizens(NRC). The objective is to reshape voter lists in favor of the ruling party and undermine the foundations of universal adult suffrage. This must be viewed as a grave attack on electoral democracy. The CPM will conduct widespread campaigns against the EC’s attempts to usurp the power to determine citizenship. It urged the public to remain alert and ensure that fake voters do not get their names added to the rolls.
● Rising Attacks on Women, Dalits and Adivasis.
Attacks on women, Dalits and Adivasis continue unabated across the country. Official data released by the National Crime Records Bureau shows that under the BJP government led by Modi, attacks on these sections have increased significantly over the past 11 years. These attacks reflect the Manuvadi ideology propagated by the BJP, RSS, and their affiliated organizations.
● Economy in Distress.
Recent statistics show that the Indian economy is not performing well. Unemployment, lack of job opportunities and stagnant wages are fueling public resentment. While opening the economy to foreign investors, the government has signed FTAs with the US and EU. Due to US-imposed tariffs, Indian exports have fallen by 37.5%. If the government does not intervene immediately, India risks losing market share in sectors where it previously held strong positions.
● Defense Partnership with the US Undermines Strategic Autonomy.
The ten-year cooperation framework for defense partnership between India and the US undermines India’s strategic autonomy. It forces India’s military and foreign policy to align with American directives. It increases India’s technological dependence on the US. It heightens the risk of regional conflict. The agreement clearly states that its objective is to contain China and firmly integrate India into the US-led military structure. The Polit Bureau condemned the Modi government for pushing India deeper into the grip of the US. The US is also pressuring India to sign a trade agreement that would allow broad market access for American goods. Reports indicate that the government is yielding to these pressures and preparing to sign an agreement detrimental to India’s interests.
● Solidarity with Venezuela.
The United States has announced that it is preparing for a military assault on Venezuela, having deployed over ten thousand military personnel to the region. The US is taking this aggressive action because Venezuela is resisting American imperialism. The Polit Bureau condemned the US aggression and expressed solidarity with the people of Venezuela.
● Some Relief with the Ceasefire in Gaza.
The ceasefire in Gaza and the halt in Israeli attacks have provided some relief to people suffering under long-term conflict. However, Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement. The Indian government must reassess its policy on Israel. It should sever defense and security ties with Israel and express solidarity with Palestine.