Can the Left get it right?

They didn't manage to get a single seat in the Assembly elections in five states in February-March. They lost Kerala and West Bengal last year. In 2009, they were routed in the general elections. Never before has the CPM been staring so starkly at irrelevance in Indian politics. Never has it been more imperative for it to find a way forward that works. In this scenario, the CPM today began its 20th party congress at Kozhikode. For six whole days, over 850 party members from across the country will brainstorm to chalk a roadmap that will stem the downslide in time for the 2014 general elections. Can they do it?