Votes or not, Left will continue to fight for people: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam

CHENNAI: Despite losing deposits in the bypolls, the CPM and CPI on Friday thanked voters who supported their candidates in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections, asserting that their political work would continue beyond electoral victories and defeats.

In a statement, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam thanked voters who cast their ballots for the party candidate, P Sugandhi, in Madurantakam and the CPI candidate, Lakshmanan, in Dharapuram. He also appreciated the efforts of cadres from Left parties, including the CPI (ML) Liberation, who worked during the campaign.

Shanmugam said elections were only one part of the broader struggle of the Communists, who viewed electoral contests as a step towards achieving social change. He said the Left parties had campaigned without money, power, or the backing of official authority and had engaged voters in discussions on alternative politics. "Our work will continue not only in Parliament and the Assembly but also on the streets," he said, adding that the Left would continue to fight for the interests of workers, farmers, the middle class, small traders, small-scale entrepreneurs, women, youth and students.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said the Left parties respected the election results but maintained that their politics could not be measured by their strength in the legislature.

"The votes we received are untainted votes," he said, stressing that elections should not be driven by caste, religion or money.

"Do not look for the Left in the number of seats in the Assembly. We have neither death nor defeat," Veerapandian said, asserting that the Left would continue to pursue its political objectives despite the electoral setback.