Kolkata: The Left parties today held a meeting to strengthen their unity in a bid to counter what they alleged was a "rise of communalism" in the country and in West Bengal.

The meeting was held between the 10 constituents of the Left Front in West Bengal, led by the CPI-M, and seven other Left parties SUCI(C), CPI(ML), CPI(ML) liberation, CPI(ML) (Santosh Rana), CRLI, PDS and another Left group.