This page contains a list of political parties in India that are aligned with the communist ideology. Most communist parties in India trace their origins to- (i) the Communist Party of India, the oldest communist party in India, takes part in parliamentary processes; (ii) the All India Forward Bloc which was a faction within the Indian National Congress led by Subhas Chandra Bose, the leader of the Indian National Army, which led an armed struggle for independence during World War II. Today AIFB takes part in parliamentary processes; (iii) the Revolutionary Socialist Party (India), which is considered the successor to Anushilan Samiti, and Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, the HSRA was an organization that lead an armed revolutionary socialist movement against the British raj (Prominent members include Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad), the Anushilan Samiti believed in using revolutionary violence to end colonial rule, and was led by Aurobindo Gosh. Today RSP takes part in parliamentary processes; (iv) the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which split from CPI in 1964, takes part in parliamentary processes; (v) and finally, the now-defunct Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist), which was formed after the Naxalbari uprising by radicals from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its peasant's wing All India Kisan Sabha. It gave rise to many groups who carry out a revolutionary socialist armed struggle on the lines of Mao Zedong's people's war military stratergy and Charu Majumdar's "Historic Eight Documents", some splinter factions gave up armed struggle and joined parliamentary processes. (see Naxalite–Maoist insurgency)
Currently, electoral socialist politics is especially prevalent in the states of Kerala, West Bengal, and Tripura.
In terms of armed insurgency the red corridor, also called the red zone, is a region that is considerably affected by the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency, the red corridor is in the eastern, central, and southern parts of India more specifically in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal.
Communist Parties Registered with Election Commission of India
Communist Parties with National Party Status
Communist Parties with State Party Status
Regional Communist Parties
Parties that are regional in nature and are registered yet unrecognised.
Minor Communist Parties
Negligible impact on Indian politics, many don't contest elections or organise. Some of these parties used to be important at state or even national level.
Pro Left Front Parties
Parties that support the Left Front in West Bengal and Tripura-
Azad Hind Mancha led by Ali Imran Ramz
Communist Marxist Party (Rajeshkumar) led by M. Rajeshkumar
Revolutionary Socialist Party (Leninist) Kovoor led by Kovoor Kunjumon
Revolutionary Socialist Party (Leninist) Ambalathara led by Ambalathara Sreedharan Nair
Left United Front Parties
Parties in opposition to Left Front in West Bengal and Tripura as well as Left Democratic Front in Kerala-
Pro UPA Communist Parties
Part of now defunct Confederation of Indian Communists and Democratic Socialists (CICDS) United Communist Party of India led by Mohit Sen Communist Marxist Party (John) led by C. P. John Party of Democratic Socialism led by Saifuddin Choudhury and Samir Putatundu Communist Revolutionary League of India (CRLI) led by Ashim Chatterjee Peoples Revolutionary Party of India (Paschimbanga Ganatantrik Manch) led by Sumantha Hira Tripura Ganatantrik Manch led by Ajoy Biswas Janganotantrik Morcha led by Ajoy Biswas Marxist Manch of Assam Orissa Communist Party led by Ajay Rout Krantikari Samyavadi Party based in Bihar Rashtravadi Communist Party based in Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Kisan Mazdoor Adivasi Kranti Dal Others
Pro-BJP/ NDA Communist Parties
Other Communist Parties
Lal Nishan Party (Leninvadi) New Socialist Alternative Telangana Communist Party of India Odisha Communist Party Bahujana Communist Party Lok Sangharsh Morcha Revolutionary Socialist Party of Kerala (Bolshevik) Revolutionary Socialist Party (Left) Communist Marxist Party (Aravindakshan)