Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) released it’s manifesto for the 18^th Lok Sabha elections on 6th April.

In its manifesto, CPI (M) laid the importance of the Lok Sabha election as it is important to protect secular democracy, economic sovereignty, federalism, and social justice. They promise to call back the CAA law as it is discriminatory and polarizing. They criticize the government for using the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department (IT) as a political arm of the BJP used to target opposition leaders. The party has laid down the reforms that they wish to bring economically, politically and socially for the betterment of India.

CPI (M) criticized the “made in India” policy as being a “loot of India” policy which is looting India through a corporate-communal nexus. They blamed the government for weakening economic integrity by attacking the rights of Indian farmers forcing them to corporatize.

They raised the issue of increased economic disparity and ensured to tax the rich and corporate profits; the wealth tax for the superrich and Inheritance tax will also be bought in.

Prices, Unemployment

The communist party blamed the government for the criminal mishandling of the pandemic. Talking about the growing poverty in India, manifesto criticized the government for hiding all the failures by the promotion of Jan Dhan yojanas, having a toilet in every house, etc. CPI(M) mentioned the policies followed which led to price hikes. The price hikes hurt the general population garnering revenue by increasing duties to 28.33 lakh crores.

The CPI(M) promised an immediate reduction in the duties on petroleum products. The supply of free 5kg grains to 81 crore people and 5kg subsidized grains. They also promised to implement a universal public healthcare system with state funding.
For the rising unemployment, they promised to fill all government jobs urgently and double the allocations for MSMEs.

Jammu & Kashmir, Northeast

CPI(M) accuses the BJP of pushing the Hindutva ideology and targeting Jammu & Kashmir (the only Muslim-majority state). They also talk about the BJP’s agenda of changing the state’s demographics using the delimitation commission. They blamed the RSS agenda of polarizing people and propaganda against illegal immigrants, which led to the Northeast ethnic conflicts.

The communist party also criticized the Supreme Court’s decision on Article 370, negating the fact that the Instrument of Accession of J&K was conditional to retaining a special status contained in Article 370.

They promised to give autonomous status granted by Sec 370 of Jammu and Kashmir. They promised immediate elections and restoration of full statehood.

Foreign Policy

CPI(M) criticized the BJP for surrendering the foreign policy to the US and following their hegemony. The party has expressed their stand towards an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. They laid their stand against the growing relations with the Zionist Israel government and promised to decrease relations with the US and Israel thus following a Non-Aligned policy. They also promised to move out of alliances like the India-US defence framework and the QUAD.

Alternate Policies proposed in Manifesto

Ensure MSP is 50% higher than the total cost of production.
The minimum wage of workers not less than Rs. 26,000 per month
Right to work as a constitutional right
Halt privatization of public sector enterprises
Governor to be appointed by the president out of the three eminent persons suggested by the chief minister.
Ensure electricity at subsidized rates and rollback of privatization of electricity. All the existing licenses of private power companies will be cancelled.
Prohibiting FDI in retail trade, and regulating e-commerce through a license policy.

The CPI has ensured to maintain a policy ensuring public sectors have more presence and stop the expansion of the private sector exploiting the people of India. They have ensured that the BJP has to be defeated to ensure a secular and growing India.