NEW DELHI — The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)) on Monday launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his call for austerity measures, saying the appeal has exposed the “fragile reality” of the country’s economy and the government’s failure to shield people from mounting economic distress.
Addressing the media after the May 10–11 CPI(M) Polit Bureau meeting here, party General Secretary M A Baby said the leadership reviewed the recent assembly election results, labour unrest, foreign policy developments and the growing ascendancy of “Hindutva-communal forces” across the country.
Kerala Blow, BJP Breakthrough
The CPI(M) admitted that the Left Democratic Front suffered a “serious setback” in Kerala after ten years in power, while expressing alarm over the BJP winning three seats in the state for the first time.
Calling the BJP’s entry a “grave threat” to Kerala’s secular and democratic fabric, Baby accused the Congress of helping the saffron party expand by running “baseless campaigns” against the CPI(M) and maintaining a “soft approach” towards communal forces.
Despite the defeat, the party sought comfort in the LDF securing 37.6 per cent vote share and pledged a detailed internal review to identify weaknesses and recalibrate its political strategy.
‘Hindutva Forces on the Rise’
The Polit Bureau also sounded an alarm over the BJP’s victories in West Bengal and Assam, alleging that the party rode to power through “communal polarisation, hate campaigns, misuse of central agencies and massive money power.”
Baby claimed the BJP capitalised on strong anti-incumbency against the Trinamool Congress in Bengal, while warning that the broader national trend reflected a growing consolidation of right-wing communal politics.
He further accused the BJP of attempting to manipulate government formation in Tamil Nadu through the governor’s office before eventually swearing in TVK leader C Joseph Vijay as chief minister.
The sharpest criticism, however, was reserved for Modi’s appeal asking citizens to embrace austerity amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
Addressing a gathering in Vadodara, Gujarat, Modi urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption, “use less cooking oil” and limit non-essential foreign travel “for a year”.
Calling the statement “deeply ironic,” Baby said the government was shifting the burden of economic instability onto ordinary people while failing to defend India’s strategic and economic interests abroad.
The CPI(M) blamed the government’s alignment with the US-Israel bloc for worsening geopolitical instability, particularly after attacks on Iran, a fellow BRICS nation. The party accused the Modi government of failing to condemn aggression against Tehran and warned that disruptions in oil supplies and fertiliser imports could severely hit agriculture and food production.
“The prime minister’s statement itself proves that all is not well with the economy,” Baby said.
He alleged that the government deliberately delayed acknowledging economic stress until after the elections and warned people to prepare for “burdens imposed in the name of austerity.”
Labour Codes Trigger Fresh Fire
The Polit Bureau also targeted the Centre over the rollout of the new Labour Codes, accusing the Modi government of deliberately waiting until the assembly elections were over before notifying the rules.
Describing the move as “anti-working class,” the CPI(M) said governments had ignored widespread worker protests demanding better wages, humane working conditions and shorter working hours.
Referring to recent labour unrest in the National Capital Region and other states, the party alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government used police action to crush protests and imprison workers.
The CPI(M) demanded that all cases against protesting workers be withdrawn immediately and urged state governments to amend labour laws to safeguard workers’ rights.
Delimitation, Voter Roll Purge Alleged
He also accused the BJP of attempting to redraw the country’s political map through delimitation and alleged manipulation of electoral rolls.
He said the Polit Bureau criticised the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar and West Bengal, claiming that millions of voters were removed from electoral rolls under the category of “logical discrepancies,” potentially influencing election outcomes.
Calling the exercise a direct assault on democratic credibility, the CPI(M) accused the BJP and RSS of using state institutions to advance political objectives.
Cuba, Iran and Foreign Policy Critique
On foreign policy, the Polit Bureau condemned fresh US sanctions and threats against Cuba and criticised the Indian government for failing to take an independent stand on Cuba and Iran.
The CPI(M) argued that India’s foreign policy under the BJP had become increasingly “subservient” to Western powers, weakening the country’s standing among Global South nations and within BRICS.
The party’s Central Committee is scheduled to meet in Delhi from May 22–24 to conduct a detailed review of the election results and assess the rapidly shifting political landscape.
