Communist Party of India

Communist Party of India
AbbreviationCPI
General SecretaryD. Raja
Rajya Sabha LeaderP. Santhosh Kumar
Lok Sabha LeaderK. Subbarayan
Founded26 December 1925 (1925-12-26)
HeadquartersAjoy Bhavan
15, Indrajit Gupta Marg, New Delhi, Delhi, India
Newspaper
Women's wingNational Federation of Indian Women
Labour wingAll India Trade Union Congress, Bharatiya Khet Mazdoor Union
Peasant's wingAll India Kisan Sabha
Membership 650,000 (2022)
Ideology
Political positionLeft-wing
International affiliationIMCWP
Colours  Red
ECI StatusState Party
Alliance
Seats in Rajya Sabha
2 / 245
Seats in Lok Sabha
2 / 543
Seats in State Legislative Councils
1 / 75
(Bihar)
1 / 40
(Telangana)
Seats in State legislatures
20 / 4,131
(Total)
State Legislatures
17 / 140
(Kerala)
2 / 234
(Tamil Nadu)
1 / 119
(Telangana)
Number of states and union territories in government
3 / 31
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
communistparty.in

The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. The CPI considers the 26 December 1925 Kanpur conference as its foundation date. Between 1946 and 1951, the CPI led militant struggles such as the peasant revolt in Telangana, organising guerrilla warfare against feudal lords. The CPI was the main opposition party in India during the 1950s to 1960s. In 1964, a split in the CPI led to the formation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which eventually emerged as the larger of the two parties. CPI supported the rule of Indira Gandhi, but later changed course and embraced left unity. CPI was part of the ruling United Front government from 1996 to 1998 and had two ministers under the Devegowda and Gujral ministries.

As of 2025, the CPI has two members in the Lok Sabha and two members in the Rajya Sabha. In addition, it has 20 MLAs across three states and one each in the MLCs of Bihar and Telangana. It is designated a state party by the Election Commission of India as of 2023 in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Manipur. As of December 2023, the CPI is part of the Left Democratic Front coalition that forms the state government in Kerala. The CPI have four Cabinet Ministers and a Deputy Speaker in Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, it is in power as part of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance coalition.