Fundamental lack of ideological coherence in the INDIA bloc, with many parties operating autonomously or in competition with each other, undermined the collective strength that it could have provided, and thus it had limited success, the Communist Party of India’s draft political resolution, released ahead of its Congress scheduled for September 21-25, said. 

The 25th Congress of the CPI, which will be held in Chandigarh, coincides with the party’s centenary. The 64-page draft political resolution was released in the party’s headquarters in Delhi by general secretary D. Raja on Friday. 

The party also underlined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala against a CPI candidate as an avoidable stumbling block for deeper Opposition unity.

The resolution said CPI played a significant role in bridging the ideological and political divide in the INDIA bloc by emphasising the need to defend constitutional values and resist the BJP’s divisive politics. But the alliance was limited in its effectiveness.

“Seat-sharing negotiations were the most visible and a persistent point of contention. Many constituent parties, protective of their regional bases and leadership ambitions, engaged in prolonged and sometimes acrimonious bargaining,” the resolution said. This did not lend to a seamless and cohesive campaign. 

“Perhaps most critically, the alliance grappled with a fundamental lack of ideological coherence,” the resolution said. The ideological inconsistency, the party said, made it challenging to present a unified policy agenda that could inspire widespread confidence beyond anti-BJP sentiment. 

CPI has suggested that the Opposition, especially the Congress, should learn lessons from this example. “The Indian National Congress, being the largest constituent of the INDIA bloc and a pan-India political party, should maintain consistency in its positions on critical issues like secularism, federalism, and the direction of our economy. Ideological clarity in the current situation is a must,” it said.