WEST BENGAL CPI(M)-CPI Relations The Basic Issues Ajit Roy The basic issues involved in the current differences between the CPI(M) and the CPI in West Bengal have implications that go far beyond the question of relations between the two parties and affect Left and democratic movements in the country directly IN March last, the 14th Congress of the CPI, in session in Calcutta, had made ardent pleas for the unity between itself and the CPI(M). About two months later, the West Bengal state conference of the party meeting in the same city persisted in making the same plea, but with an unmistakable note of bitterness. While differences in the approaches of the two parties at the national level continue to impede the coming together, as desired by the CPU the cause of its new bitterness lies in some of the recent developments in West Bengal. More pertinently, the basic issues involved in these differences have implications that go far beyond the question of CPI-CPI(M) relations and affect the left and democratic movements directly. Two of these issues that have come up very sharply are: (i) the question of chalking out a course of militant working class actions to resist the growingly severe offensive of the industrial employers against the workers, particularly in the jute textile industry, and (ii) the issue of basic human right