Red flag march of CPI(M) cadrethe 24th party congress in Madurai on April 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit: G. Moorthy
Two new female leaders from West Bengal have been inducted into the Central Committee of Communist Party of India (Marxist). Minakshi Mukherjee, a prominent youth leader, is among those included in the party’s highest decision-making body.
In the newly-elected Central Committee, finalised during the 24th congress of the party held in Madurai on Sunday (April 6, 2025), five new members from West Bengal were chosen to join the 85-member committee.
Over recent years, Ms. Mukherjee, who serves as the president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), has emerged as one of the most influential youth leaders for the Left in West Bengal. The 40-year-old leader gained prominence when she contested the Nandigram constituency during the 2021 Assembly elections against political heavyweights such as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Suvendu Adhikari.
Ms. Mukherjee is celebrated for her oratory skills and her ability to draw large crowds at public rallies. Her earthy tone and simple demeanour have helped her connect with the common populace.
During the R.G. Kar rape and murder case in 2024, Ms. Mukherjee, along with other Left youth leaders, intercepted a white van carrying the victim’s body to the crematorium on August 9, demanding that it be preserved for further investigation, and further negotiated amidst heavy police presence.
Following the death of Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader Anish Khan in 2020, which sparked Statewide protests, Ms. Mukherjee and several others faced police brutality. DYFI leaders had alleged that she and others were denied bail and subjected to torture while in police custody.
According to party sources, “In the revival of the Left in West Bengal, Minakshi Mukherjee is the face of this fight against Trinamool and BJP. She is bringing an acceptance of the Left among the people of the State, that is being recognised by the Central Committee. Otherwise, a DYFI youth leader being part of the Committee at such a young age is unheard of.”
The other new names from West Bengal elected to the Central Committee are Kaninika Ghosh (State secretary of All India Democratic Women’s Association), Syed Hussain (Purba Bardhaman district secretary), Saman Pathak (a trade unionist representing North Bengal’s tea gardens), and Debabrata Ghosh (Hooghly district secretary). Their inclusion aims to ensure representation from diverse regions and communities across the State, promoting inclusivity.
With these additions, there are now a total of 15 members from West Bengal in the Central Committee, including the five newly elected this year.
Published – April 06, 2025 11:33 pm IST
