Left Parties were pushed to a corner in 2014 after the "worst" drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections saw their numbers reducing from 64 seats in 2004 to a mere 11 this time.
Serious differences too cropped up within the largest party, the CPI(M), which could lead not only to a revision of its political tactical line, but a change in leadership in its 21st Party Congress slated in April-May 2015.
The steep decline in the Left's parliamentary strength led to waning influence and growing organisational disarray, as was noticed in Bengal with a large number of lower-rung cadres switching over to main rival TMC, though a major reason was the continued killings and attacks against them.
However, in order to salvage lost ground and pump in a fresh lease of life to further their "people's struggle", two more parties - CPI(ML)-Liberation and SUCI (Communist), joined the CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc combine to take on the BJP-led government's "anti-people" policies and the "communal" politics of RSS-BJP affiliate socio-political outfits.
The poll debacle led CPI(M) and other Left parties initiate moves to rally all Left forces so that a broad Left platform emerges to fight the neo-liberal policies, communalism and imperialism, evolve a united stand and organise joint activities.
What came as a rude shock to the Left was their free fall in West Bengal where it could manage just two of the 42 seats with a vote share of just under 30 per cent. The Communists had won 16 seats in 2009 election, with a combined vote share of 43.3 per cent.
Of course, it retained the only two seats in Tripura and improved the margins, with the state remaining the only Left- ruled one in the country.
The Left had lost West Bengal Assembly in 2011 after a world record of communists getting democratically elected and remaining in power for 34 uninterrupted years.
