Question

Write a short note on Communist Victory in Kerala in 1957.

Answer 1

the Communist Party of India did not make any diatribe against the Congress. Instead the CPIbecame accommodative of the large progressive segment in the Congress. In fact the Communist Party looked forward to co-operating with this segment for implementation of agrarian reforms and in the executionof laws aimed at the good of the people. Thus the Central Committee ofthe CPI reported to its Palghat Congress in 1956: “Even though the Indian National Congress is a political party of the bourgeoisie having in its fold many landlords there is a large number of democrats in it. It has a democratic anti-imperialist tradition. Our attitude to the Congress Party should be one of strengthening those forces within the congress, which take comparatively progressive stand.We must exhort them to fight against the monopolist feudalist reactionarieswho attempt to tighten their hold on the Congress. In matters like implementation of agrarian reforms and the execution of laws aimed at the good of the people we must request the members of the Congress to join us in urging the government toexpedite. We must also try to make common cause on such issues with congress committees”. Obviously this policy prompted progressive elements to soften their attitude towards the Communist Party. The friendly atmosphere generated by this policy also helped to catapult the CommunistParty to power in the 1957 election.The New York times attributed: “The weak inefficient and corrupt administration of the Congress regime in the state for a decade since independence was an important factorthat led to the Communist victory in 1957.”