Is it possible, in your opinion, to identify the Communist Party with the Soviet people?

The Soviet people is a much broader concept than the communist party. Under the USSR, this was the name for all the inhabitants of this country, regardless of whether they were part of the party or not. At this time there were many non-partisans. They were not members of the party, but nevertheless they agreed with the state ideology and policies pursued by the communist party of the USSR. There were also dissenters (dissidents), but it was not customary to talk about it.