CPM Resurgence in Sandeshkhali: Reclaiming Political Turf Amid Trinamul Unrest

It was said that the CPM had avoided Sandeshkhali for more than ten years due to the threat posed by Sheikh Shahjahan and his supporters.

The CPM is currently attempting to make up ground lost by reopening party offices, holding modest rallies, and establishing booth committees ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, helped by the arrest of the Trinamul strongman.

They forbade us from engaging in political activity in the area for ten years. Our decision to go back there has been strengthened by the people's rebellion. Our followers are gradually emerging; many of them had been subjected to atrocities and lost their farms at the hands of Trinamul goons. Nirapada Sardar, the final CPM MLA to represent Sandeshkhali, told The Telegraph on Saturday, "With their support, we opened our Korakati party office in Sandeshkhali block-II that Trinamul had locked 12 years ago."

From 1977 till 2016, the CPM represented Sandeshkhali, the ground for the Tebhaga agitation headed by the Communist party and which secured the rights of sharecroppers, continuously in the Assembly.

The CPM's winning run came to an end in 2016 as Sukumar Mahata of Trinamul defeated Sardar. But even prior to it, the CPM has been institutionally outmatched in this area since the 2013 panchayat elections. It did not field a candidate in the area for the rural votes in 2023.

Local CPM activist Pradipta Sarkar claimed that "despite Sandeshkhali having a CPM MLA until 2016, the ruling party unleashed terror in the run-up to the 2013 panchayat elections forcing our party supporters and sympathisers to shun political programmes and refrain from contesting rural polls."

Since 2013, the region's CPM cardholder population has sharply decreased. However, in the aftermath of the Sandeshkhali protests against the purported atrocities of local Trinamul officials, which began on February 7, things have been gradually shifting for the CPM.

Sandeshkhali made national headlines last month when villagers, especially women, took to the streets to demand the arrest of Trinamul officials Shahjahan, Shib Prasad Hazra, and Uttam Sardar. They accused them of extortion, land grabbing, and physical and sexual abuse. In the lead-up to the Lok Sabha elections, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gone all out to undermine the ruling party in Bengal.

Recognizing the BJP's significant advance in Tebhaga, the CPM is exerting its influence by holding small rallies in Sandeshkhali areas, such as Bermajur, Jeliakhali, Dhamakhali, Khulna, Manipur, and Durgamandap; reactivating supporters; and setting up street-corner meetings in public spaces.

The BJP is attempting to crush the populace's democratic resistance to Trinamul's intimidation by engaging in a risky communal game. To raise public awareness of the BJP's cunning plan to use religion to undermine the democratic struggle of the rural poor, we have decided to host a rally in Sandeshkhali on Monday," stated Sardar.

To get people back together, village parleys are being organized by grassroots CPM leaders.

"There is still fear of Trinamul. A number of low-level Trinamul leaders who have been the subject of complaints are out and about, posing a threat to our followers. Our current goal is to establish booth committees and raise the party flag in each booth located throughout Sandeshkhali, stated Pradipta, who is also a local school teacher.

Still, locals such as farmer Subir Sarkar of Bermajur felt the Left would face significant challenges.

I had received several land plots from the government of the Left Front. Shahjahan and his henchmen have taken most of my land plots. Although I feel sorry for the CPM, I am too afraid to publicly express my support. "The dangers are genuine," stated Sarkar.

Trinamul denied the CPM's allegations.

"Those close to Sandeshkhali do not support the CPM. There is no foundation for the party. Partha Bhowmick, a minister, stated that this is the reason CPM leaders are accusing Trinamul of threats.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.