West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : The renewed bid to strengthen its grassroots presence ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPIM] is preparing to launch a host of social initiatives aimed at education and healthcare. These include ‘alternative schools’, tuition centres, and health camps targeting underprivileged and marginalised sections, particularly in rural and semi-urban Bengal.

This outreach strategy is part of a larger effort by the CPIM to re-engage with voters and reclaim lost ground, especially in districts where the party once held sway but has seen its influence dwindle over the past decade. With the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP continuing to dominate political discourse in the state, the Left party is now focusing on people-centric services to highlight its relevance and reconnect with the masses

Sources within the CPIM’s state committee revealed that the idea of ‘alternative schools’ stems from the increasing number of children—especially in rural Bengal—who have fallen behind academically due to gaps in the public education system. These centres will not function as full-fledged schools, but rather as informal setups providing supplementary education, mainly in the form of after-school tutoring and support classes.

“These are not meant to replace regular schools,” said a CPIM leader from North 24 Parganas, “but to provide academic support where the system is failing, especially for first-generation learners.”

The move is also seen as a direct response to the growing number of private tuition centres mushrooming across the state, often unaffordable to families from low-income backgrounds. By positioning itself as an affordable or free alternative, the CPIM hopes to win back the trust of working-class families who once formed its core support base

In addition to education, the party also plans to organise regular health camps across various districts, in collaboration with doctors and medical volunteers who have long-standing links with the Left’s student and youth wings. These camps will provide basic diagnostic services, awareness on hygiene and nutrition, and distribution of medicines—focusing on areas where government-run health infrastructure is weak.

The CPIM believes this ‘service-based political model’ could resonate in post-pandemic Bengal, where healthcare access remains a concern. “Politics must go beyond slogans,” said a senior party functionary. “We want to show that we care by addressing real problems—education, health, and dignity

While party insiders argue the initiative is not merely electoral in nature, political analysts view it as part of a larger rebranding strategy. After back-to-back electoral defeats, including its decimation in the 2021 Assembly polls, the CPIM appears determined to regain public trust through visible, local-level engagement.

Though the party’s immediate political impact remains modest, it hopes that these initiatives will help rebuild organisational strength and prepare the ground for a broader political resurgence.

Whether this blend of grassroots service and ideological clarity translates into votes remains to be seen. But for now, the CPIM is clearly shifting gears, betting on social outreach as a path to political relevance in West Bengal.