Communist Party of India (Marxist) – West Bengal

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Communist Party of India (Marxist) – West Bengal

Overview
- Abbreviation: CPI(M) WB
- General Secretary: Md. Salim
- Founded: 7 November 1964 (split from Communist Party of India, West Bengal)
- Headquarters: Alimuddin Street, Kolkata
- Ideology: Communism, Marxism-Leninism
- Political position: Left-wing
- National affiliation: Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance
- Regional affiliation: Secular Democratic Alliance
- International affiliation: IMCWP
- Colors: Red
- Slogans: Lal salam; Inquilab Zindabad
- Anthem: The Internationale
- Membership (2021): 160,827
- Wings: Ganashakti (newspaper); Students' Federation of India; Democratic Youth Federation of India; All India Democratic Women's Association
- Election symbol: Party flag
- Website: cpimwestbengal.org

What it does
- CPI(M) WB is the West Bengal branch of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). It has been a major left-force in the state and has led the Left Front coalition.

Key history and role
- The party split from the Communist Party of India in 1964 and quickly became a major force in Indian politics, with internal debates about how to relate to the Indian state, the Congress, and relations with the Soviet Union and China.
- In West Bengal, CPI(M) led the Left Front, a broad alliance, to power in 1977. Jyoti Basu became Chief Minister, and the government pursued land reforms and a strong Panchayat (local government) system.
- The 1980s and 1990s saw substantial agricultural growth and improvements in living standards in the state, driven in part by left-front policies.
- In the 2000s, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee pushed for industrialization, including a Tata Motors plant at Singur, which sparked major protests. Nandigram also saw violence and clashes.
- The rising influence of Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress led to the decline of the Left Front, and the CPI(M)–led administration ended in 2011 after 34 years in power.

Current status
- CPI(M) WB remains an important political party in the state but has limited electoral representation today.
- Parliament representation: 0 Lok Sabha seats, 1 Rajya Sabha seat.
- West Bengal Legislative Assembly: 0 seats.
- The party is part of the Left Front and the Secular Democratic Alliance in broader coalitions.

The CPI(M) WB played a central role in shaping West Bengal's politics for decades, especially through land reforms and mass governance programs, before fading from power in 2011.