In order to revive its sagging fortunes, the CPI-M once again looks up to party patriarch late Jyoti Basu -- India's pre-eminent Communist leader who set a record as the nation's longest-serving chief minister.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist has lined up year-long programmes throughout the state, highlighting his life and philosophy to mark the late West Bengal chief minister and Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu's centenary celebrations beginning July 8.
After the collapse of the "Red Fort" in West Bengal following the advent to power of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, the Marxists are engaged in a battle of existence and looking for redemption through Basu, described as the "role model for the younger generation and one of the legends of modern India, not only of the Communist movement".
"Of course, the party is going through tough times and we once again are looking up to the great man who was a modern Indian legend and an undoubtedly a role model for the younger generation," party state committee member Rabin Deb said
The party, however, will be deviating from its rules to celebrate Basu's birth anniversary. Till now, the only birthday celebration that was allowed is of veteran Communist leader and one of the party founders - Muzaffar Ahmed.
Incidentally, despite being a die-hard Communist, Basu too ignored party traditions sometimes -- he never objected to the birthday celebrations organised at his Salt Lake residence in the twilight years of his life.
From releasing a memorial volume to remembering his life and work for the benefit of a new generation, and his ideals that led to the consolidation of the working class movement, a spate of programmes are planned to bring the masses back into the party fold.
The party has also approached the prime minister seeking publication of a set of commemorative postage stamps in Basu's name during his birth centenary.
"Basu was never confined to any generation. During his lifetime he always kept himself abreast of developments concerning the young as well as the older generations. His beliefs, ideals and philosophies cannot be bracketed to any particular generation," Marxist leader Mohammad Salim said.
"In his lifetime, Basu became a symbol for the Left, democratic and secular forces in the country and so long as the Communist struggle continues, he will remain relevant even for the generations to come," Salim said.
Born July 8, 1914, Basu joined the Communist Party of India in 1940 and began his work in the railway trade union movement. In 1946, he was elected to the Bengal legislative assembly from the Railway constituency.
He played a key role in the development of the Communist party in India and was the secretary of the Provincial Committee of the CPI from 1954 to 1960. He became a member of the Central Committee of the CPI in 1951. When the CPI-M was formed, he became one of the founder politburo and central committee members.
"The main facet of Jyoti Basu's personality that attracted people towards him was his unassailable faith in them. He would always urge the party and its cadre to go to the people and explain to them what we are doing and take them into confidence. This faith in the people was the strength of his credibility. They never questioned or even doubted his integrity," party leader Sitaram Yechury said in a party publication.
Basu was at the helm of affairs in West Bengal for over 23 years from 1977, the longest chief ministerial tenure in India. He voluntarily stepped down Nov 6, 2000 due to ill health.
Basu almost became India's prime minister in 1996 at the head of a centre-Left United Front government. But the CPI-M vetoed the proposal, and the leader later dubbed the party's decision a "historical blunder".
He died Jan 17, 2010.
