In Bengal's binary battle, CPI(M) fields the young, deploys AI

From fielding young and new candidates to catchy parody songs and using artificial intelligence (AI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), in West Bengal is wooing young voters as it strives to make its presence felt in the binary battle between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

- ISHITA AYAN DUTT

The CPI(M)-led Left Front that ruled West Bengal for 34 years failed to bag a single seat in the Lok Sabha (LS) poll in 2019 and the Assembly in 2021.

It's now pinning hopes on a revival. The CPI(M) is contesting the LS election in alliance with the Congress and other Left Front partners. Of the 42 LS seats in West Bengal, the Left Front is contesting in 30 constituencies, the CPI(M) in 23; the Congress is contesting in 12 seats.

"We have fielded mostly new faces. There are barely three who are above 60 years of age," said Samik Lahiri, a senior leader of the party.

Revamping outreach

Targeting the youth is an important factor the CPI(M) has realised, and the party is resorting to different tools towards that end.

In the run-up to the last Assembly election, the party had come up with a parody of the popular song 'Tumpa Sona' taking potshots at the TMC and the BJP for its all-important rally at the iconic Brigade Parade Ground

And it went viral.

This time, what's drawing attention is an AIgenerated news presenter named 'Samata', which means equality. The weekly news bulletins are on the party's Facebook and YouTube channels; it's also circulated in WhatsApp groups.