The CPM feels it is witnessing shifts at two levels, changes that are leaving an impact on the organisation and its coffers.

If recent protest rallies of the CPM across the state are getting noticed because of big turnouts and aggressive posturing against the ruling Trinamul Congress, the party’s fund collection drives are scripting a success story that has eluded the Left Front big brother since it lost power in the state in 2011.

Since its inception and throughout its 34 years of rule in Bengal and later, the CPM has largely depended on funds collected from the general public, households and small time businessmen to run its political campaigns and electoral battles. However, the response it used to receive from potential donors dipped since it was removed from power by the Trinamul Congress in 2011.

In the last few years, primarily after the 2018 panchayat polls and with the BJP’s slow but steady advent into the politics of Bengal, fund collection has been abysmal, sources said.

CPM state secretary Md Salim said a state committee meeting had early this year set a fund collection target of Rs 1 crore for the entire state. Although the target was unprecedented in terms of its quantum, Salim said the CPM received an overwhelming response and the drive was marked by donors not refusing to contribute.

“A trend that is significant given our not-so-good experiences since we lost power in the state,” said a CPM state committee member.

CPM leaders were in for a surprise when the statewide target was met from two districts — East Burdwan and Hooghly.

“Around Rs 1.30 crore has been collected by these two districts alone. Looks like the final amount of funds collected from all districts will be beyond our imagination,” a source at the state committee said.

The trend has even surprised the leadership who are reading it as people’s willingness to connect with the CPM, a crucial input for the party that is struggling to reclaim its lost ground.

“We have not seen such a response in the last few years. There has been very rare cases of donors refusing to contribute. Otherwise, in most districts, our workers have faced no refusal and even if the amount was small, people have tried to contribute,” Salim said.

Salim, who is being credited by a section of the party for invigorating the CPM since he took over as the state secretary in March this year, said that the fund collection would continue in phases.

“We are very encouraged and hope that when the rest of the districts go out to collect funds, they will be greeted with a similar response,” he said.

Apart from East Burdwan and Hooghly, the drive has been completed in the districts of South 24-Parganas, East and West Midnapore, North Dinajpur, Malda, Nadia, and parts of North 24-Parganas.

The total funds collected by each district will be divided into two parts.

The next phase will begin with Murshidabad in November.

Half of the total amount will be shared with the state committee, whereas the other half shall remain in the district’s custody. Moreover, 25 per cent of the money left for the district will be distributed amongst area committees.

“The money shared with the state committee will be used for electoral purposes and movements. A share from that will be sent to the central committee as a levy,” Salim said.

Party sources working in the grassroots in multiple districts, speaking to The Telegraph, corroborated Salim’s statement.

According to two workers of the CPM’s youth wing, DYFI, they have been able to collect funds from several localities in East Midnapore where they have not been able to set foot in the last few years. Similar experiences were shared by CPM workers of East Burdwan as well.

“We were surprised when we could reach and get donations in areas where we were not allowed entry for the last several years. We hope this reconnection with the people will translate into votes in the upcoming panchayat polls. If not all, at least a major section of the contributors will back us electorally,” said a state committee leader from Burdwan.

The CPM, however, will have to wait till the next year’s panchayat election to see if the increase in support on the streets and in its coffers benefits it electorally or not.