Outlook Magazine - What’s Left Of The Left - 21 December 2025 Issue

The latest issue examines the cracks in the Left movement over the last century and the growing necessity for a rethink is the last one of Outlook’s trilogy: on the RSS, the Dravidian Movement and the Left. M.A. Baby, CPI(M) General Secretary, notes, its origins lie not in distant ideologies but in homegrown movements—from reformers like Vaikunta Swamikal to revolutionary anti-colonial struggles. Yet, as Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary, observes, the Left’s trajectory has been uneven, with missed opportunities and internal fractures coinciding with the rise of a resurgent Right. JNU Professor Amir Ali highlights the CPI(M)’s “Muslim problem,” where attempts to simultaneously appeal to Hindu nationalist and Muslim voters often alienate both, benefiting the BJP. Author Saira Shah Halim points out that women continue to face structural barriers to leadership, even as they form the backbone of movements. Student activism, too, remains crucial; as JNU Student Union President Aditi notes. Read these and more in Outlook's latest issue.