CPI national general secretary Suravaram Prathap Reddy said that the CPM would merge in the coming five years with the CPI.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Reddy opined that the conditions that prevailed in 1964, when the Communist party was divided into CPI and CPM, did not exist now, and that was the main reason for the merger.
"The Leftists will survive only if the CPI and CPM unite amicably. Otherwise, both parties will face troubles," he said. "It has become tough for the CPI and CPM, which have the same aims and similarities, to wage movements. The results will be good if they work together. I will not say that the situation will change overnight, but the results will come," he said.
Suravaram said that both parties were already working together in regard to protecting secularism, democracy and constitutional rights, and a merger was only logical. He said that no discussions had however take place yet on a merger - while the leaders in both parties were in favour of a merger, the CPM never formally mentioned being open to the CPI.
Saying that the CPM was not fully on board yet on unification, he expressed hope that discussions on the merger would turn formal next year as both parties' high level meetings were scheduled.