Bihar: Mahagathbandhan Ally CPI(ML) Gears up for Massive Rally on Feb 15

Patna: Red flags, red banners, and red posters are everywhere, from villages to towns across Bihar, as the campaign for "Loktantra bachao-desh bachao rally" by the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Lenninist Liberation) [CPI(ML)] enters the final phase to mobilise people. The party, a key ally of the ruling Mahagathbandhan in the state, will hold the rally on February 15.

Two days ahead of the rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, hundreds of leaders, workers and supporters of the CPI(ML) have been reaching out to people in all 38 districts and urging them to participate in the event. The rally will be followed by a five-day, all-India party congress.

"The party campaign has been going on across the state, particularly in rural areas, to connect with people directly. Our leaders, workers and supporters are taking out foot marches, motorcycle-bicycle processions and holding street corner meetings in large numbers. So far, the response is better than expected," CPI(ML) leader Kumar Perwez told NewsClick.

He said nearly a week-long campaign by theatre activists in Patna and other districts will also mobilise people for the rally. He further added, "The party has been using social media for a campaign to reach out to the youth, who are victims of unemployment, to join our fight to save the democracy and the country from fascist forces. The party has uploaded several video clips on it."

According to the CPI(ML)'s press release, the party has disseminated its campaign song in Hindi, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi and other local dialects for the rally. 

More than a hundred party leaders and workers have been working day and night preparing for the Patna rally. They have been busy decorating the venue of the rally and the surrounding spaces.

"Most of the busy roads, squares, market places to bylanes of residential localities are flooded with red flags of the party, banners and posters. It is going to be red all around here from tomorrow," a CPI(ML) leader said.

About 20 years ago, in 2002, the CPI(ML) held its 7th all India party congress in Patna.

As per the leaders, the Left party has made elaborate arrangements to make its five-day 11th all-India party congress a grand success. The party has decided to hold the Congress for the second time in Patna, and it is scheduled to take place at the S K memorial hall from February 16 to 20.

The CPI(ML) 's high-level meeting in Patna is set to discuss the organisational agenda; the party will also chalk out a political agenda for the next five years. This Congress assumed much significance given the party's outside support to the Mahagathbandhan government led by Nitish Kumar and Lok Sabha elections in 2024, followed by Bihar Assembly polls in 2025.

The CPI(ML) has invited other Left parties, including CPI, CPI(M), RSP and All India Forward Bloc leaders, for the inaugural session of the party congress here. Other ultra-left party leaders are also likely to attend it." The CPI(ML) has invited leaders of communist parties from neighbouring Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as well. Besides, communist party leaders from Malaysia and Australia and representatives of the Palestine freedom movement are likely to attend the inaugural session," a party release said.

The party has invited state presidents of its allies Congress, JD-U, RED and HAM, for the national convention on February 18.

The CPI(ML), which has 12 sitting MLAs in the state Assembly, is part of the ruling Mahagathbandhan, along with the CPI(M) and CPI, RJD, JD-U and HAM.

A senior CPI(ML) leader recalled that after the party came overground during the early 1990s, it organised its first open Congress at Kolkata in 1992. During the period when the [arty had to be underground, two congresses were held in the interiors of Khamara village in Giridih (now in Jharkhand) and Gaya districts (1976 and 1982).