CPI(M) in Bengal to hire experts to give party, campaigns more structured shape

Kolkata (The Uttam Hindu): The CPI(M) in West Bengal will hire professionals and experts in related fields to give the party’s organisational structure as well as its campaign strategies better shape. The CPI(M) state secretary and the party politburo member Md Salim posted an advertisement on his Facebook wall on Friday afternoon seeking professionals and experts from six related fields, namely political analysts, political interns, content writers, graphics designers and digital marketing executives. The ad also says, "Apply with the goal to transform & reform our public policies, For the people, By the people."

This is somewhat on the lines of Prashant Kishor-founded Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC). The only difference will be that while any political party can hire the services of I-PAC for promotional purposes, the experts and professionals mentioned in the advertisement by Salim will exclusively operate for CPI(M). To recall, Trinamool Congress started hiring the service of I-PAC in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. Political observers feel that this hiring of professionals and experts is something unique in CPI(M)'s traditional organisational structure which traditionally depends on its dedicated line of party cadres, including whole-timers, who render service to the party against a nominal monthly honorarium.

In fact, the strong cadre-based organisation of CPI(M) was the main base of the prolonged CPI(M)-led Left Front rule in West Bengal from 1977 to 2011. However, that strong cadre-based organisational structure started disintegrating with the beginning of the Trinamool Congress regime in 2011, whose impact was felt in the massive erosion of the party’s dedicated vote bank in subsequent elections.

In two consecutive Lok Sabha elections, first in 2019 and then in 2024 as well as in the state Assembly elections in 2021, the seat tally of the Left Front ended in zero. Even seat-sharing arrangements with Congress, which started in the 2016 West Bengal Assembly polls and continued till the general elections this year, could not bring favourable results for the Left Front. Party insiders said the hiring of professionals and experts is being done keeping the crucial 2026 Assembly polls in view.