The Communist Party of India (CPI) has reluctantly veered towards the caste factor as part of its class struggle in a new policy document released.

Many leftists were, however, dismayed by acceptance of caste as a factor in Indian politics in the document made public by CPI leader AB Bardhan, claiming it to be the outcome of the party's 21st Congress in Patna in March.

It is the same party that has always tried to see the Indian politics from the prism of class in the past eight decades while condemning the caste system and those like BSP, Samajwadi Party lavishing in the caste politics.

The document says the party should not ignore the caste factor in its struggle for socialism as castes and religions are the social reality in India. It is, however, not asking the party cadres to embrace casteism as it talks of the party launching a social and political struggle to put an end to this caste system.

A party leader claimed there is no shift in the CPI's stand on the menace of the caste divide as the party decided not to shut eyes to the reality of castes and instead work for uplift of the downtrodden castes to come up at par with others in the society.