Political Parties In India

A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections in order to hold power in the government. It is a way to mobilize voters to support common sets of interests, concerns, and goals. With a primary role to fix the political agenda and policies, each party tries to persuade people by claiming their policies are better than those of other parties.

Functions of a Political Party

Political Party Systemin India

Being a democratic country, India has a multi-party system, where political parties are classified as national, state or regional level parties. The status of party is accorded by the Election Commission of India, and all parties are registered with the Election Commission.

India follows a multi-party system. In such a system, there are three or more parties which have the capacity to gain control of the government separately or in a coalition.In case, no party achieves a clear majority of the legislative seats, then several parties join forces and form a coalition government.

Types of parties in India

National Party

A political party is able to get status of National Party when it:

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharatiya Janata Party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M), Indian National Congress Indian National Congress (INC), and Nationalist Congress Party Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), are the recognised National Parties of India.

State party

For any political party to be eligible for recognition as a State Party in a state, it has to satisfy any of the five conditions listed below.

Aam Aadmi Party, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, All India Forward Bloc, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen, All India N.R.Congress, All India United Democratic Front, Asom Gana Parishad, Bodoland Peoples Front, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Indain Union Muslim League, Janata Dal (United), Lok Jan Shakti Party, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, Sikkim Democratic Front, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Telugu Desam Party, United Democratic Party, YSR Congress Party, Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya), are the State Parties in India.

Regional Party

For any political party to be eligible for recognition as a National Party, it has to satisfy any of the three conditions listed below.

Here is the list of Regional Parties in India: