The Left parties on Thursday agreed on the need for unity and better coordination among them in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and asserted that they have an important role to play in awakening the people to the dangers of communalism, authoritarianism, majoritarianism, erosion of constitutional bodies and democratic values with the aim of protecting the secular and democratic India.

Senior leaders from the CPM, CPI, Marxist Coordination Committee (MCC), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), Lal Nishan Party (LNP), Satyashodhak Communist Party (SCP) and Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI) admitted the need to take on the BJP at the ongoing 11th congress of the CPI-ML in Patna.

“All of us in the Left have a central role to play in energising and sustaining the unity of the people fighting across the country against fascist frenzy, aggression, communalism, unemployment, hatred, exploitation of the working class, farmers, Dalits and adivasis (tribals). This will advance the agenda of a secular, democratic, federal India. Our efforts in 2023 will pave the way for a decisive victory in 2024,” CPI-ML general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said.

Bhattacharya asserted that a “closer unity and cooperation among all the forces of the Left and the broader Opposition to defeat fascism” was needed. He thanked all the leaders of the Left for their support and expected closer solidarity and cooperation in the coming days.

CPI general secretary D. Raja could not attend the congress because of illness, while CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury also could not make it to the conclave.

Speaking on the occasion, CPM Bengal state secretary Mohammad Salim said that the congress is being held at a critical juncture when the country is being ruled by a regime that aggressively pursues the fascist Hindutva agenda of the RSS.

“The nine years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also seen the pursuance of the pernicious new liberal policy, the promotion of Adani style crony capitalism and the looting of natural resources… The pro-corporate policies have led to a deterioration of the living standards of the people. The regime is depriving the minorities of their basic rights, particularly in the BJP-ruled states,” Salim said.

“The challenge before the Left and democratic forces in India is how to take on the Hindutva-corporate nexus and bring together all sections of the society to fight against the neo-liberal policies. The Modi government has seen resistance from the people in the form of anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and farmers’ protests. A strong and united Left is necessary for an effective fight against the rising Hindutva offensive. It must bring all secular, democratic forces together and present itself as an alternative to the Hindutva regime,” Salim added.