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Political Parties

Political parties have become a major part of the politics of almost every country, as modern party organizations developed and spread around the world over the last few centuries. It is extremely rare for a country to have no political parties. Political Parties are often define different, get more relevant information below

A democracy cannot survive without political parties. There are many rules, regulations, policies and programmes that political parties need to abide by to operate properly. Political parties each have a different belief and mindset, and they try to persuade people through different means. 

This is mainly due to the fact that different people have different views on what is good or what is bad, which political parties try to utilize. The face of the party is what the party believes in, how it implements its policies and whose interests it takes consideration into.

What Are Political Parties

A political party is a group of people who join hands together to hold power as a part of the government and to contest elections. Political parties are basically formed to challenge other political parties, or for the collective good of the citizens of a nation. Since political parties are considered to be a major part of the society they involve partisanship. 

Political parties seek to win popular support by implementing their goals and policies. In this way political parties portray a division in the society which is fundamental for a nation’s growth. The main components of political parties are the active members who work for the party, the leader who is the face of the party, and also the followers. 

Functions of Political Parties 

When we are talking about political parties, the question is, “Why do you need political parties ?” may also come to one’s mind. Following are the basic functions of political parties belonging to any nation: 

  1. Contesting elections is the major role of political parties, which political parties have to take responsibility for. 
  2. Political parties put forward policies to implement and programmes for the well being of the citizens .
  3. Making laws is a conclusive role of political parties. Laws are debated in the legislature and passed or denied afterwards. 
  4. The role of the opposition is played by political parties that lose an election. Oppositions are crucial to the idea of democracy. 
  5. Political parties form governments and take the responsibility to run them. 
  6. Political parties are involved in shaping public opinion in different ways.
  7. The operation of the government and welfare policies are also a part of the responsibilities under the political parties. 

Political Party in India

Currently, there are 8 overall recognized national political parties and 54 overall recognized state parties in India. A party needs to gain recognition to function. A recognized political party can enjoy a plethora of privileges. 

Such privileges can be to receive a party symbol reserved to one’s own party name, contribution to election rules and regulations, electing setting dates consultations etc. the Election Commission registers those parties that tend to contest state, local or national elections. 

The origin of political parties takes place when recognized parties gain the status of a recognized National or State party by the Election Commission. For this purpose, the political parties have to meet certain criteria after a State Legislative or a Lok Sabha election. The status of recognition of political parties is reviewed periodically by the Election Commission. The status of recognition can be taken away by the ECI if political parties fail to fulfil the required criteria in a Lok Sabha election. 

The ECI in 2016 laid out the rule that the recognition status of every political party will be checked after every two elections instead of one. Therefore political parties, even though one may not be able to meet the criteria can retain their status prior to the next election. However, if they fail to follow the criteria even in the next election following the previous one, then the status of recognition will be removed as per the rules of ECI. 

National Parties In India

There are currently a total of 8 recognized political parties in India. Every Democracy that tends to follow a federal system of governance throughout the world has two types of political parties present at large: parties that are present in one unit of federation or parties that are present in all federal units. 

Every party in the country has to register with The Election Commission registers all political parties in India so each and every party needs to consult the ECI for recognition. Established and developed parties in India also known as national parties receive special amenities and facilities although The Election Commission treats all political parties equally. 

Following are the major national parties of India that are officially recognized currently by the ECI: 

  1. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): this party came into existence when the previously formed party Bharatiya Jana Sangh which was founded in 1980 by Syama Prasad Mukherjee was revamped. This party serves as one of the nationalist parties currently. This national party has its goals set in taking inspiration from ancient cultures and values and incorporating the ideas of Antyodaya and ideas of integral humanism by Deendayal Upadhyaya to the present policies to build a modern India.  This party considers Hindutva or cultural nationalism as the most important component of Indian politics and nationhood. This national party aimed at integrating Jammu and Kashmir territorially and politically (fulfilled), wants to bring in a uniform civil code. In the 1990s the support for this party skyrocketed.  In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it emerged as the largest national party with 303 members. It rules at the centre as an NDA party in the current period. 
  2. Indian National Congress (INC): This party is commonly known as the Congress party and was the oldest party to be formed in India formed in 1885. This party serves as one of the nationalist parties currently. This party went through several splits. It was formed under Jawaharlal Nehru who served as the leader. It ruled as the central government from 1977 and again from 1980 to 1989. Its support declined after 1980 and in the year 2014, it lost significantly against the Bharatiya Janata Party which serves as the central government today. Indian National Congress won 52 seats and 19.5% votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
  3. All India Trinamool Congress (AITC):  The All India Trinamool Congress was launched by Mamata Banerjee on 1 January 1998. The party gained recognition and was added to the list of national parties in the year 2016. This party serves as one of the nationalist parties currently. The party is exclusively committed to the ideas of federalism and secularism. Flowers and grass symbolize the goal of the AITC. The party is flowers and grass. The party first came to power in 2011 in the state of West Bengal. The political party has its presence in Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Goa, Manipur etc. The 2019 general elections led this party to win 22 sits and 4.07 per cent votes. This win made AITMC the fourth largest party in the Lok Sabha and a recognized national party. 
  4. Communist Party of India (CPI): Many communist parties emerged after taking inspiration from the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in the early 1920s. They advocated socialism as a solution to problems affecting the nation. The communists from 1935 worked from under the folds of the Indian National Congress. Communists in the year 1941 decided to support Britain to fight against Nazi Germany which separated them from the INC. the well-oiled mechanism of the party and the devoted cadre at the time of independence made CPI a prominent national party but its support base has declined over the years gradually. In the current times, the party has its presence in West, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Tamil Nadu. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it secured only 2 seats and 1 per cent vote. 
  5. Communist Party of India: Marxist (CPI-M): This national party was founded in 1964 and bases its beliefs on Marxism. this party won 3 seats and 1.75 votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 

Conclusion

The quality of a democracy is mainly dependent on how the political parties are performing, being a part of the government and serving as an opposition. Every political party in India is inclined to serve the citizens and failing to do so may result in the dissolution of a political party.