The Communist Party of India (Marxist) will hoist the national flag at party offices for the first time on August 15. The move is being seen as an attempt by the CPI(M) to improve its electoral performance and counter allegations by rival parties that its sympathies lie towards China and other communist countries.  

CPI(M) Central Committee member Sujan Chakraborty said while the party had been observing Independence Day in a “different manner”, it had decided to upscale the celebrations this year to mark the country’s 75th Independence Day.    

“We usually observe the Independence Day by holding discussions on issues and dangers faced by the country by fascist forces, by communal forces. This time the day will be held in a bigger way. Seventy-fifth or 100th year don’t come every time,” Press Trust of India quoted him as saying.

The Tricolour-hoisting was approved by central committee of the CPI(M) during a virtual meeting recently.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front managed to win just five seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in its worst poll performance in over six decades. It suffered an even bigger drubbing in its erstwhile bastion of West Bengal during the 2021 Assembly Elections by drawing a blank despite an alliance with the Congress. During its 34-year rule in West Bengal, the party was often accused by opposition parties of ignoring the state’s issues while being proactive towards the communist cause.

Also read: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee dances at World Tribal Day event. Watch

The CPI(M) emerged as the principal Left party in India following a split in the CPI in 1964. Communist stalwarts such as Jyoti Basu and Bhupesh Gupta had dismissed India’s Independence as “false freedom” and the party was accused of adopting a pro-China stance during the 1962 war with India. 

The Left parties recently drew flak for attending a meeting to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party with ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing leaders such as Sitaram Yechury and D Raja of “betraying” by participating in the event via video conferencing.

The leaders hit back by accusing the BJP of raking up the issue to divert attention from the government’s failures.