All India Communist Party
Encyclopedia
The All India Communist Party was a communist party
in India
. It was emerged after a split in the Communist Party of India
in 1980, by a section of CPI cadres dissatisfied with the political changes that occurred during the 1978 Bhatinda conference of CPI. During most of the 1970s CPI had supported the government of Indira Gandhi
and the Indian National Congress
. But after the electoral defeat of Gandhi in 1977 CPI began to reconsider its relation to the Congress. After the Bhatinda conference CPI distanced itself from the Congress and aligned itself with the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
instead, promoting left unity. The founders of AICP wanted to retain the close relationship with the Congress.
Roza Deshpandhe, the daughter of the founding leader of CPI S.A. Dange and her husband Bani Deshpande, played an important role in organising the founding of the new party. Dange himself was initially largely sceptical of a split in the CPI.
The first conference of AICP was held in Meerut, commencing on March 13. Dange turned up uninvited to the Meerut conference and took charge of the new party. He was elected general secretary of the party.
As an alternative to the CPI-controlled Indian-Soviet Cultural Society (ISCUS), members of AICP and the Congress set up the Friends of the Soviet Union
. But the control over FSU was completely taken over by the Congress.
Although having Dange, a historical stalwart of the communist movement in India, as its leader AICP was not able to attract any major nationwide following. According to Bhattacharya two reasons were of significance. First of all, the Soviet Union
did not give any political support to the new party. The founders of AICP were upholding the pro-Soviet CPI policy of cooperating with the National Congress (which was in line with Soviet geopolitical ambitions), but the Soviets were not interested in a split within CPI. Secondly, the Congress showed limited interest towards the idea of having a national alliance with the new party. In the end, the two parties would be poised against each other in several local elections.
In 1987 AICP merged with the Indian Communist Party and formed the United Communist Party of India
, which would function as a continuation of the political line of AICP.
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was emerged after a split in the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
in 1980, by a section of CPI cadres dissatisfied with the political changes that occurred during the 1978 Bhatinda conference of CPI. During most of the 1970s CPI had supported the government of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
and the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. But after the electoral defeat of Gandhi in 1977 CPI began to reconsider its relation to the Congress. After the Bhatinda conference CPI distanced itself from the Congress and aligned itself with the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
instead, promoting left unity. The founders of AICP wanted to retain the close relationship with the Congress.
Roza Deshpandhe, the daughter of the founding leader of CPI S.A. Dange and her husband Bani Deshpande, played an important role in organising the founding of the new party. Dange himself was initially largely sceptical of a split in the CPI.
The first conference of AICP was held in Meerut, commencing on March 13. Dange turned up uninvited to the Meerut conference and took charge of the new party. He was elected general secretary of the party.
As an alternative to the CPI-controlled Indian-Soviet Cultural Society (ISCUS), members of AICP and the Congress set up the Friends of the Soviet Union
Friends of the Soviet Union (India)
Friends of the Soviet Union was an organisation in India. It was founded by members of the Indian National Congress and the All India Communist Party as an alternative to the CPI-controlled Indian-Soviet Cultural Society , after the break between CPI and the Congress in the national political...
. But the control over FSU was completely taken over by the Congress.
Although having Dange, a historical stalwart of the communist movement in India, as its leader AICP was not able to attract any major nationwide following. According to Bhattacharya two reasons were of significance. First of all, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
did not give any political support to the new party. The founders of AICP were upholding the pro-Soviet CPI policy of cooperating with the National Congress (which was in line with Soviet geopolitical ambitions), but the Soviets were not interested in a split within CPI. Secondly, the Congress showed limited interest towards the idea of having a national alliance with the new party. In the end, the two parties would be poised against each other in several local elections.
In 1987 AICP merged with the Indian Communist Party and formed the United Communist Party of India
United Communist Party of India
United Communist Party of India , is a political party in India. It was formed in 1987 when the Indian Communist Party merged with the All India Communist Party. Veteran communist leader Mohit Sen was the general secretary of the party until his death in 2003.UCPI participates in the Confederation...
, which would function as a continuation of the political line of AICP.