Ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, opposition politics in the state appears to be entering a phase marked by fresh questions and emerging possibilities. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), which was reduced to zero seats in the 2021 Assembly elections and again failed to open its account in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, is now seeking to increase its visibility on social and political platforms.

The recent presence of CPI(M) leaders at a public rally organised by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in Murshidabad has triggered intense discussion in political circles about possible new political alignments.

On Thursday, an anti-discrimination public meeting was held near the Domkal bus stand in Murshidabad at the call of the SDPI. Along with SDPI leaders, district-level CPI(M) leaders, workers and supporters were also present on the dais. Speakers at the rally raised issues such as atrocities against migrant workers, violations of minority rights, social discrimination and corruption, sharply criticising both the ruling Trinamool Congress government in the state and the BJP-led central government.

SDPI leaders alleged that despite repeated attacks on Bengali-speaking migrant workers in other states, elected representatives have failed to intervene effectively in Parliament and the Assembly. From the same platform, a call was made to intensify political struggle in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

SDPI state president Hakikul Islam said his party prioritises the fight against discrimination and social injustice. He stated that all democratic parties opposed to the Trinamool Congress and the BJP are being invited to SDPI programmes. According to him, a letter was also sent to CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim, following which CPI(M) leaders at the state and district levels attended the meeting.

The SDPI leadership clarified that no formal electoral alliance has been announced so far and that sharing the platform should be seen as part of issue-based unity rather than an electoral understanding.

CPI(M) district secretary Jamir Mollah, explaining the party’s position, said that broad unity is essential to protect democratic rights against both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. He added that CPI(M) is prepared to move forward with all forces willing to join this struggle. The party has also indicated that strengthening its political presence among the masses through social movements and shared issues is its current priority.

It may be recalled that in the 2021 Assembly elections, CPI(M), the Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) had contested together under a joint front. The ISF won the Bhangar seat, which remained the alliance’s only electoral success. Although the alliance did not actively continue after the elections, it was never formally dissolved. In recent years, representatives of these parties have been seen together on several occasions on issues related to civil rights and social concerns.

Leaders from the ISF and the Congress at local, district and state levels have also participated in several SDPI programmes in Bengal. However, SDPI has no declared political alliance with either the Congress or the ISF. Until now, the participation of these parties has been described as issue-based and linked to social movements.

Political analysts believe that such shared platforms serve more as a means of maintaining dialogue among opposition parties rather than indicating any fixed electoral arrangement.

The BJP has reacted sharply to these developments. BJP MLA from Berhampore, Subrata Moitra, criticised CPI(M) leaders for sharing the stage with the SDPI, alleging that the Left party is doing so to recover from its poor electoral performance. BJP leaders have also questioned the ideological consistency of CPI(M).

At present, no formal announcement of an electoral alliance for the 2026 Assembly elections has been made by CPI(M), SDPI, ISF or the Congress. However, repeated instances of sharing platforms, unity on common issues and a strong anti-BJP and anti-Trinamool Congress narrative indicate that opposition politics in Bengal may move towards new experiments and possible equations in the coming months.

Whether these growing proximities remain confined to social movements or take the shape of a concrete political understanding before the 2026 Assembly elections remains to be seen.