The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), was founded in 1964 after splitting from the Communist Party of India, and it is now the largest communist party in the country and one of its six national parties. The split was driven by ideological differences, as the CPI(M) favored an independent, class-based approach over the Soviet-backed strategy of supporting the Congress-led government. The party is historically significant for its 34-year rule in West Bengal, which stands as the longest-serving democratically elected communist-led government in the world. It achieved its peak national prominence in the 2004 elections, when it emerged as the third-largest party in the Indian parliament. Currently, the CPI(M) holds representation in eight state assemblies, and its organizational structure is led by a Central Committee and Polit Bureau between party congresses.