Textbook: Political Parties | History and Political Science Class 10 (Maharashtra Board) PDF Download

 Page 1


82
In the last chapter we studied the 
working of constitution and election 
procedure. Political parties are a link that 
connects common people, democracy, 
representation and elections. Whatever we 
read or hear about politics is related to 
political parties. Political parties exist in 
all democratic systems. In fact political 
parties compete with each other only in 
a democracy. In this chapter we will 
study the political party system in India. 
In your school and the surroundings 
you must have seen some groups, 
institutions, organisations working to 
achieve some objective. Some 
organisations take initiative in resolving 
social problems. You may have read 
about the various movements and their 
work. Just as there are active groups, 
institutions and movements, similarly 
there are political parties who contest 
elections. Political parties are also a kind 
of social organisations, but there is a 
difference between political parties and 
other institutions and organisations in 
society. The difference is in the goals and 
style of working of political parties and 
other organisations. On this background, 
we can say that when people form 
organisations with the objective of 
achieving political power and participate 
in the electoral process, such organisations 
are called political parties. Political parties 
thus can be described as a group of 
people who aim to contest elections, win 
elections and get power and establish the 
government of their party. 
Following are some important 
characteristics of political parties :
To be in power : Achieving power 
through elections is the main objective of 
political parties. Thus different political 
parties compete with each other to get 
power. There is nothing wrong in this 
competition, but the competition should 
be fair.
To pursue an ideology : Every 
political party has some policies and world 
views. Parties have a particular stand 
about social issues. These together make 
party ideology. The people who consider 
any specific party ideology as acceptable 
support that political party. Social support 
received by a political party is called the 
‘mass base’ of political party.  In modern 
days ideologies of all political parties 
appear to be similar hence it has become 
difficult to differentiate between the parties 
on the basis of ideologies. 
To have a Party Agenda : Political 
parties prepare their party’s agenda on 
the basis of party ideology. They 
implement the agenda after they get 
political power. Even if they do not get 
political power, political parties try to get 
support of people on the basis of this 
agenda.
To Establish a Government : 
Political parties establish the government 
and govern the nation. The political party 
which gets majority in elections forms the 
government. The parties which do not get 
majority act as opposition parties. 
To act as a link between the 
Government and the people : Political 
parties work as a link between the 
3. Political Parties
Page 2


82
In the last chapter we studied the 
working of constitution and election 
procedure. Political parties are a link that 
connects common people, democracy, 
representation and elections. Whatever we 
read or hear about politics is related to 
political parties. Political parties exist in 
all democratic systems. In fact political 
parties compete with each other only in 
a democracy. In this chapter we will 
study the political party system in India. 
In your school and the surroundings 
you must have seen some groups, 
institutions, organisations working to 
achieve some objective. Some 
organisations take initiative in resolving 
social problems. You may have read 
about the various movements and their 
work. Just as there are active groups, 
institutions and movements, similarly 
there are political parties who contest 
elections. Political parties are also a kind 
of social organisations, but there is a 
difference between political parties and 
other institutions and organisations in 
society. The difference is in the goals and 
style of working of political parties and 
other organisations. On this background, 
we can say that when people form 
organisations with the objective of 
achieving political power and participate 
in the electoral process, such organisations 
are called political parties. Political parties 
thus can be described as a group of 
people who aim to contest elections, win 
elections and get power and establish the 
government of their party. 
Following are some important 
characteristics of political parties :
To be in power : Achieving power 
through elections is the main objective of 
political parties. Thus different political 
parties compete with each other to get 
power. There is nothing wrong in this 
competition, but the competition should 
be fair.
To pursue an ideology : Every 
political party has some policies and world 
views. Parties have a particular stand 
about social issues. These together make 
party ideology. The people who consider 
any specific party ideology as acceptable 
support that political party. Social support 
received by a political party is called the 
‘mass base’ of political party.  In modern 
days ideologies of all political parties 
appear to be similar hence it has become 
difficult to differentiate between the parties 
on the basis of ideologies. 
To have a Party Agenda : Political 
parties prepare their party’s agenda on 
the basis of party ideology. They 
implement the agenda after they get 
political power. Even if they do not get 
political power, political parties try to get 
support of people on the basis of this 
agenda.
To Establish a Government : 
Political parties establish the government 
and govern the nation. The political party 
which gets majority in elections forms the 
government. The parties which do not get 
majority act as opposition parties. 
To act as a link between the 
Government and the people : Political 
parties work as a link between the 
3. Political Parties
83
Changing nature of political party 
system in India : 
(1) The Congress was a strong 
political party in the post-independence 
period. Congress had a majority at Centre 
and in most of the States.  Indian politics 
was controlled by the Congress Party. 
This era was described as Era of ‘Single 
dominant party system’.
(2) The non-Congress parties came 
together and challenged ‘Single dominant 
party system’ in 1977.
Imagine you are an opposition 
party leader and you have observed 
that the ruling party has not done 
good work in the field of health. 
What will you do as a leader of 
opposition ?
What do you understand by the 
following news in newspapers? 
Explain in brief
 Opposition parties held a meeting in 
Mumbai to resist the Ruling party. 
Will take up the issue of farmers ?
 Ruling party organised ‘Samvad 
Yatra’ in rural areas.
Think and write.
Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba  Bhave 
and Jayprakash Narayan put forth 
the idea of partyless democracy. 
What has to be done to bring 
such democracy in modern times?
 If power remains with one 
political party for a long period 
and if no other political parties 
are influential - the party system 
is called as one party system
 In politics, when two political 
parties are influential and if 
political parties enjoy power 
alternatively, the party system 
is called two party system
 When many political parties 
compete for political power and 
more or less they are equally 
influential, the party system is 
called multi-party system.
Do you know ?
(3) After the 1989 Loksabha Elections, 
the system of one party emerging as 
dominant party came to an end. Since 
then different parties began to come 
together to form coalition governments. 
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and 
Congress Party made an experiment of 
establishing coalition governments. The 
belief that coalition government brings 
instability was proved wrong by the 
political party system in our country. In 
fact, the coalition government system as 
stabilised in India. 
Find out the member parties of 
the following leading coalitions.
(1) National Democratic Alliance 
(NDA)
(2) United Progressive Alliance 
(UPA)
Do this.
Government and the people. Political 
parties communicate the demands and 
complaints of the people to the government. 
The government tries to get support of the 
people for its policies and programmes 
through political parties. 
Page 3


82
In the last chapter we studied the 
working of constitution and election 
procedure. Political parties are a link that 
connects common people, democracy, 
representation and elections. Whatever we 
read or hear about politics is related to 
political parties. Political parties exist in 
all democratic systems. In fact political 
parties compete with each other only in 
a democracy. In this chapter we will 
study the political party system in India. 
In your school and the surroundings 
you must have seen some groups, 
institutions, organisations working to 
achieve some objective. Some 
organisations take initiative in resolving 
social problems. You may have read 
about the various movements and their 
work. Just as there are active groups, 
institutions and movements, similarly 
there are political parties who contest 
elections. Political parties are also a kind 
of social organisations, but there is a 
difference between political parties and 
other institutions and organisations in 
society. The difference is in the goals and 
style of working of political parties and 
other organisations. On this background, 
we can say that when people form 
organisations with the objective of 
achieving political power and participate 
in the electoral process, such organisations 
are called political parties. Political parties 
thus can be described as a group of 
people who aim to contest elections, win 
elections and get power and establish the 
government of their party. 
Following are some important 
characteristics of political parties :
To be in power : Achieving power 
through elections is the main objective of 
political parties. Thus different political 
parties compete with each other to get 
power. There is nothing wrong in this 
competition, but the competition should 
be fair.
To pursue an ideology : Every 
political party has some policies and world 
views. Parties have a particular stand 
about social issues. These together make 
party ideology. The people who consider 
any specific party ideology as acceptable 
support that political party. Social support 
received by a political party is called the 
‘mass base’ of political party.  In modern 
days ideologies of all political parties 
appear to be similar hence it has become 
difficult to differentiate between the parties 
on the basis of ideologies. 
To have a Party Agenda : Political 
parties prepare their party’s agenda on 
the basis of party ideology. They 
implement the agenda after they get 
political power. Even if they do not get 
political power, political parties try to get 
support of people on the basis of this 
agenda.
To Establish a Government : 
Political parties establish the government 
and govern the nation. The political party 
which gets majority in elections forms the 
government. The parties which do not get 
majority act as opposition parties. 
To act as a link between the 
Government and the people : Political 
parties work as a link between the 
3. Political Parties
83
Changing nature of political party 
system in India : 
(1) The Congress was a strong 
political party in the post-independence 
period. Congress had a majority at Centre 
and in most of the States.  Indian politics 
was controlled by the Congress Party. 
This era was described as Era of ‘Single 
dominant party system’.
(2) The non-Congress parties came 
together and challenged ‘Single dominant 
party system’ in 1977.
Imagine you are an opposition 
party leader and you have observed 
that the ruling party has not done 
good work in the field of health. 
What will you do as a leader of 
opposition ?
What do you understand by the 
following news in newspapers? 
Explain in brief
 Opposition parties held a meeting in 
Mumbai to resist the Ruling party. 
Will take up the issue of farmers ?
 Ruling party organised ‘Samvad 
Yatra’ in rural areas.
Think and write.
Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba  Bhave 
and Jayprakash Narayan put forth 
the idea of partyless democracy. 
What has to be done to bring 
such democracy in modern times?
 If power remains with one 
political party for a long period 
and if no other political parties 
are influential - the party system 
is called as one party system
 In politics, when two political 
parties are influential and if 
political parties enjoy power 
alternatively, the party system 
is called two party system
 When many political parties 
compete for political power and 
more or less they are equally 
influential, the party system is 
called multi-party system.
Do you know ?
(3) After the 1989 Loksabha Elections, 
the system of one party emerging as 
dominant party came to an end. Since 
then different parties began to come 
together to form coalition governments. 
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and 
Congress Party made an experiment of 
establishing coalition governments. The 
belief that coalition government brings 
instability was proved wrong by the 
political party system in our country. In 
fact, the coalition government system as 
stabilised in India. 
Find out the member parties of 
the following leading coalitions.
(1) National Democratic Alliance 
(NDA)
(2) United Progressive Alliance 
(UPA)
Do this.
Government and the people. Political 
parties communicate the demands and 
complaints of the people to the government. 
The government tries to get support of the 
people for its policies and programmes 
through political parties. 
84
National Parties
(Reference : Election Commission of India, 
Notification No.56/201/PPS-111, dated 13 
December 2016)
(1) Indian National Congress : The 
Indian National Congress was established 
in 1885. At the time of its establishment, 
Congress was an all comprehensive 
movement working for national 
independence. Groups with different 
ideologies had come together in this 
nationalist movement. 
After independence 
the Congress emerged 
as the most dominant 
political party. The 
party, from the 
beginning, follows 
the policy of 
secularism, all round development, equal 
rights and welfare for minorities and 
disadvantageous sections of the society.  
Accordingly, Congress has organised 
various programmes to achieve those 
objectives. The party believes in 
democratic socialism, social equality and 
international peace.
(2) Communist Party of India : This 
party based on the 
communist ideology 
was established in 
1925. It is an old party 
in India. This party 
works for the welfare 
of labourers and workers. The party 
opposes capitalism. The party leadership 
developed differences in the 1960s over the 
issue of whether Communist Party of India 
should accept the leadership of Communist 
China or the Soviet Union. This led to the 
split in Communist Party of India and a 
separate party – Communist Party of India 
(Marxist) was formed in 1964.
Also understand
The national parties and the 
regional parties.
To get recognition as a national 
party, the Election Commission has 
prescribed the following conditions:
(a) A political party should secure 
minimum 6% of the valid votes 
in four or more States in the 
earlier Loksabha or State 
Assembly elections and minimum 
4 members should be elected in 
the Loksabha from any state or 
states in the earlier elections.
Or
(b) The candidates of a party should 
be elected from minimum 2% 
constituencies out of total 
Loksabha constituencies and 
from minimum 3 states.
To get recognition as a regional 
party, the Election Commission has 
prescribed the following conditions   :
(a) A political party should secure 
minimum 6% of the valid votes 
in the earlier Loksabha or State 
Assembly elections and minimum 
2 members should be elected in 
the Vidhan Sabha  (State 
Assembly).
Or
(b) A political party should secure 
minimum 3% of seats out of 
total seats of Vidhansabha – 
(State Assembly) or minimum 3 
seats.
Let us know about some important 
political parties in India.
Page 4


82
In the last chapter we studied the 
working of constitution and election 
procedure. Political parties are a link that 
connects common people, democracy, 
representation and elections. Whatever we 
read or hear about politics is related to 
political parties. Political parties exist in 
all democratic systems. In fact political 
parties compete with each other only in 
a democracy. In this chapter we will 
study the political party system in India. 
In your school and the surroundings 
you must have seen some groups, 
institutions, organisations working to 
achieve some objective. Some 
organisations take initiative in resolving 
social problems. You may have read 
about the various movements and their 
work. Just as there are active groups, 
institutions and movements, similarly 
there are political parties who contest 
elections. Political parties are also a kind 
of social organisations, but there is a 
difference between political parties and 
other institutions and organisations in 
society. The difference is in the goals and 
style of working of political parties and 
other organisations. On this background, 
we can say that when people form 
organisations with the objective of 
achieving political power and participate 
in the electoral process, such organisations 
are called political parties. Political parties 
thus can be described as a group of 
people who aim to contest elections, win 
elections and get power and establish the 
government of their party. 
Following are some important 
characteristics of political parties :
To be in power : Achieving power 
through elections is the main objective of 
political parties. Thus different political 
parties compete with each other to get 
power. There is nothing wrong in this 
competition, but the competition should 
be fair.
To pursue an ideology : Every 
political party has some policies and world 
views. Parties have a particular stand 
about social issues. These together make 
party ideology. The people who consider 
any specific party ideology as acceptable 
support that political party. Social support 
received by a political party is called the 
‘mass base’ of political party.  In modern 
days ideologies of all political parties 
appear to be similar hence it has become 
difficult to differentiate between the parties 
on the basis of ideologies. 
To have a Party Agenda : Political 
parties prepare their party’s agenda on 
the basis of party ideology. They 
implement the agenda after they get 
political power. Even if they do not get 
political power, political parties try to get 
support of people on the basis of this 
agenda.
To Establish a Government : 
Political parties establish the government 
and govern the nation. The political party 
which gets majority in elections forms the 
government. The parties which do not get 
majority act as opposition parties. 
To act as a link between the 
Government and the people : Political 
parties work as a link between the 
3. Political Parties
83
Changing nature of political party 
system in India : 
(1) The Congress was a strong 
political party in the post-independence 
period. Congress had a majority at Centre 
and in most of the States.  Indian politics 
was controlled by the Congress Party. 
This era was described as Era of ‘Single 
dominant party system’.
(2) The non-Congress parties came 
together and challenged ‘Single dominant 
party system’ in 1977.
Imagine you are an opposition 
party leader and you have observed 
that the ruling party has not done 
good work in the field of health. 
What will you do as a leader of 
opposition ?
What do you understand by the 
following news in newspapers? 
Explain in brief
 Opposition parties held a meeting in 
Mumbai to resist the Ruling party. 
Will take up the issue of farmers ?
 Ruling party organised ‘Samvad 
Yatra’ in rural areas.
Think and write.
Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba  Bhave 
and Jayprakash Narayan put forth 
the idea of partyless democracy. 
What has to be done to bring 
such democracy in modern times?
 If power remains with one 
political party for a long period 
and if no other political parties 
are influential - the party system 
is called as one party system
 In politics, when two political 
parties are influential and if 
political parties enjoy power 
alternatively, the party system 
is called two party system
 When many political parties 
compete for political power and 
more or less they are equally 
influential, the party system is 
called multi-party system.
Do you know ?
(3) After the 1989 Loksabha Elections, 
the system of one party emerging as 
dominant party came to an end. Since 
then different parties began to come 
together to form coalition governments. 
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and 
Congress Party made an experiment of 
establishing coalition governments. The 
belief that coalition government brings 
instability was proved wrong by the 
political party system in our country. In 
fact, the coalition government system as 
stabilised in India. 
Find out the member parties of 
the following leading coalitions.
(1) National Democratic Alliance 
(NDA)
(2) United Progressive Alliance 
(UPA)
Do this.
Government and the people. Political 
parties communicate the demands and 
complaints of the people to the government. 
The government tries to get support of the 
people for its policies and programmes 
through political parties. 
84
National Parties
(Reference : Election Commission of India, 
Notification No.56/201/PPS-111, dated 13 
December 2016)
(1) Indian National Congress : The 
Indian National Congress was established 
in 1885. At the time of its establishment, 
Congress was an all comprehensive 
movement working for national 
independence. Groups with different 
ideologies had come together in this 
nationalist movement. 
After independence 
the Congress emerged 
as the most dominant 
political party. The 
party, from the 
beginning, follows 
the policy of 
secularism, all round development, equal 
rights and welfare for minorities and 
disadvantageous sections of the society.  
Accordingly, Congress has organised 
various programmes to achieve those 
objectives. The party believes in 
democratic socialism, social equality and 
international peace.
(2) Communist Party of India : This 
party based on the 
communist ideology 
was established in 
1925. It is an old party 
in India. This party 
works for the welfare 
of labourers and workers. The party 
opposes capitalism. The party leadership 
developed differences in the 1960s over the 
issue of whether Communist Party of India 
should accept the leadership of Communist 
China or the Soviet Union. This led to the 
split in Communist Party of India and a 
separate party – Communist Party of India 
(Marxist) was formed in 1964.
Also understand
The national parties and the 
regional parties.
To get recognition as a national 
party, the Election Commission has 
prescribed the following conditions:
(a) A political party should secure 
minimum 6% of the valid votes 
in four or more States in the 
earlier Loksabha or State 
Assembly elections and minimum 
4 members should be elected in 
the Loksabha from any state or 
states in the earlier elections.
Or
(b) The candidates of a party should 
be elected from minimum 2% 
constituencies out of total 
Loksabha constituencies and 
from minimum 3 states.
To get recognition as a regional 
party, the Election Commission has 
prescribed the following conditions   :
(a) A political party should secure 
minimum 6% of the valid votes 
in the earlier Loksabha or State 
Assembly elections and minimum 
2 members should be elected in 
the Vidhan Sabha  (State 
Assembly).
Or
(b) A political party should secure 
minimum 3% of seats out of 
total seats of Vidhansabha – 
(State Assembly) or minimum 3 
seats.
Let us know about some important 
political parties in India.
85
(3) Bharatiya Janata Party : 
Bharatiya Janata Party is an important 
party at the national level. Bharatiya Jan 
Sangh was established in 
1951. This party was 
merged with Janata Party 
that was established in 
1977. The Janata Party 
could not survive. There 
was a split in the party 
and Bharatiya Jan Sangh - the component 
party of Janata Party established a new 
party in 1980 - Bharatiya Janata Party. 
The party stands for the protection of 
Indian culture and traditions.  The party 
gives importance to economic reforms. 
(4) Communist Party of India 
(Marxist) : This party 
proclaims socialism, 
secularism and 
democracy. The party 
opposes imperialism. 
Party’s policy is to 
protect the interests of 
workers, farmers and 
landless labourers.   
(5) Bahujan Samaj Party : Bahujan 
Samaj Party professes the Socialist 
ideology. In 1984 the 
party was established 
with the objective of 
protecting the interest 
of the ‘majority’.  
Scheduled caste, 
scheduled tribes, 
religious minorities 
and other backward classes together 
constitute a majority.  The party aims to 
give power in the hands of the ‘majority’.
(6) Nationalist Congress Party : In 
1999, there was a split in the Congress 
Party and Nationalist Congress Party was 
established. The party 
believes in the values 
of democracy, equality 
and secularism. The 
party was in power in 
Maharashtra from 
1999 to 2014 in 
coalition with the 
Congress Party.  Nationalist Congress 
Party for a long period was also a part 
of coalition government led by Congress 
at Centre from 2004 to 2014.
(7) Trinamool Congress : All India 
Trinamool Congress 
Party was established 
in 1998. Election 
Commission gave the 
party recognition as 
national party in 
2016. The party 
supports democracy, 
secularism and protection of interests of 
weaker sections of the society. 
Number of seats secured by National parties 
in Loksabha elections of 2009 and 2014.
National Parties
Number of Seats
2009 2014
Indian National 
Congress
206 44
Communist Party of 
India
04 01
Bharatiya Janata 
Party
116 282
Communist Party  
of India (Marxist)
16 09
Bahujan Samaj 
Party
21 -
Nationalist Congress 
Party
09 06
Page 5


82
In the last chapter we studied the 
working of constitution and election 
procedure. Political parties are a link that 
connects common people, democracy, 
representation and elections. Whatever we 
read or hear about politics is related to 
political parties. Political parties exist in 
all democratic systems. In fact political 
parties compete with each other only in 
a democracy. In this chapter we will 
study the political party system in India. 
In your school and the surroundings 
you must have seen some groups, 
institutions, organisations working to 
achieve some objective. Some 
organisations take initiative in resolving 
social problems. You may have read 
about the various movements and their 
work. Just as there are active groups, 
institutions and movements, similarly 
there are political parties who contest 
elections. Political parties are also a kind 
of social organisations, but there is a 
difference between political parties and 
other institutions and organisations in 
society. The difference is in the goals and 
style of working of political parties and 
other organisations. On this background, 
we can say that when people form 
organisations with the objective of 
achieving political power and participate 
in the electoral process, such organisations 
are called political parties. Political parties 
thus can be described as a group of 
people who aim to contest elections, win 
elections and get power and establish the 
government of their party. 
Following are some important 
characteristics of political parties :
To be in power : Achieving power 
through elections is the main objective of 
political parties. Thus different political 
parties compete with each other to get 
power. There is nothing wrong in this 
competition, but the competition should 
be fair.
To pursue an ideology : Every 
political party has some policies and world 
views. Parties have a particular stand 
about social issues. These together make 
party ideology. The people who consider 
any specific party ideology as acceptable 
support that political party. Social support 
received by a political party is called the 
‘mass base’ of political party.  In modern 
days ideologies of all political parties 
appear to be similar hence it has become 
difficult to differentiate between the parties 
on the basis of ideologies. 
To have a Party Agenda : Political 
parties prepare their party’s agenda on 
the basis of party ideology. They 
implement the agenda after they get 
political power. Even if they do not get 
political power, political parties try to get 
support of people on the basis of this 
agenda.
To Establish a Government : 
Political parties establish the government 
and govern the nation. The political party 
which gets majority in elections forms the 
government. The parties which do not get 
majority act as opposition parties. 
To act as a link between the 
Government and the people : Political 
parties work as a link between the 
3. Political Parties
83
Changing nature of political party 
system in India : 
(1) The Congress was a strong 
political party in the post-independence 
period. Congress had a majority at Centre 
and in most of the States.  Indian politics 
was controlled by the Congress Party. 
This era was described as Era of ‘Single 
dominant party system’.
(2) The non-Congress parties came 
together and challenged ‘Single dominant 
party system’ in 1977.
Imagine you are an opposition 
party leader and you have observed 
that the ruling party has not done 
good work in the field of health. 
What will you do as a leader of 
opposition ?
What do you understand by the 
following news in newspapers? 
Explain in brief
 Opposition parties held a meeting in 
Mumbai to resist the Ruling party. 
Will take up the issue of farmers ?
 Ruling party organised ‘Samvad 
Yatra’ in rural areas.
Think and write.
Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba  Bhave 
and Jayprakash Narayan put forth 
the idea of partyless democracy. 
What has to be done to bring 
such democracy in modern times?
 If power remains with one 
political party for a long period 
and if no other political parties 
are influential - the party system 
is called as one party system
 In politics, when two political 
parties are influential and if 
political parties enjoy power 
alternatively, the party system 
is called two party system
 When many political parties 
compete for political power and 
more or less they are equally 
influential, the party system is 
called multi-party system.
Do you know ?
(3) After the 1989 Loksabha Elections, 
the system of one party emerging as 
dominant party came to an end. Since 
then different parties began to come 
together to form coalition governments. 
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and 
Congress Party made an experiment of 
establishing coalition governments. The 
belief that coalition government brings 
instability was proved wrong by the 
political party system in our country. In 
fact, the coalition government system as 
stabilised in India. 
Find out the member parties of 
the following leading coalitions.
(1) National Democratic Alliance 
(NDA)
(2) United Progressive Alliance 
(UPA)
Do this.
Government and the people. Political 
parties communicate the demands and 
complaints of the people to the government. 
The government tries to get support of the 
people for its policies and programmes 
through political parties. 
84
National Parties
(Reference : Election Commission of India, 
Notification No.56/201/PPS-111, dated 13 
December 2016)
(1) Indian National Congress : The 
Indian National Congress was established 
in 1885. At the time of its establishment, 
Congress was an all comprehensive 
movement working for national 
independence. Groups with different 
ideologies had come together in this 
nationalist movement. 
After independence 
the Congress emerged 
as the most dominant 
political party. The 
party, from the 
beginning, follows 
the policy of 
secularism, all round development, equal 
rights and welfare for minorities and 
disadvantageous sections of the society.  
Accordingly, Congress has organised 
various programmes to achieve those 
objectives. The party believes in 
democratic socialism, social equality and 
international peace.
(2) Communist Party of India : This 
party based on the 
communist ideology 
was established in 
1925. It is an old party 
in India. This party 
works for the welfare 
of labourers and workers. The party 
opposes capitalism. The party leadership 
developed differences in the 1960s over the 
issue of whether Communist Party of India 
should accept the leadership of Communist 
China or the Soviet Union. This led to the 
split in Communist Party of India and a 
separate party – Communist Party of India 
(Marxist) was formed in 1964.
Also understand
The national parties and the 
regional parties.
To get recognition as a national 
party, the Election Commission has 
prescribed the following conditions:
(a) A political party should secure 
minimum 6% of the valid votes 
in four or more States in the 
earlier Loksabha or State 
Assembly elections and minimum 
4 members should be elected in 
the Loksabha from any state or 
states in the earlier elections.
Or
(b) The candidates of a party should 
be elected from minimum 2% 
constituencies out of total 
Loksabha constituencies and 
from minimum 3 states.
To get recognition as a regional 
party, the Election Commission has 
prescribed the following conditions   :
(a) A political party should secure 
minimum 6% of the valid votes 
in the earlier Loksabha or State 
Assembly elections and minimum 
2 members should be elected in 
the Vidhan Sabha  (State 
Assembly).
Or
(b) A political party should secure 
minimum 3% of seats out of 
total seats of Vidhansabha – 
(State Assembly) or minimum 3 
seats.
Let us know about some important 
political parties in India.
85
(3) Bharatiya Janata Party : 
Bharatiya Janata Party is an important 
party at the national level. Bharatiya Jan 
Sangh was established in 
1951. This party was 
merged with Janata Party 
that was established in 
1977. The Janata Party 
could not survive. There 
was a split in the party 
and Bharatiya Jan Sangh - the component 
party of Janata Party established a new 
party in 1980 - Bharatiya Janata Party. 
The party stands for the protection of 
Indian culture and traditions.  The party 
gives importance to economic reforms. 
(4) Communist Party of India 
(Marxist) : This party 
proclaims socialism, 
secularism and 
democracy. The party 
opposes imperialism. 
Party’s policy is to 
protect the interests of 
workers, farmers and 
landless labourers.   
(5) Bahujan Samaj Party : Bahujan 
Samaj Party professes the Socialist 
ideology. In 1984 the 
party was established 
with the objective of 
protecting the interest 
of the ‘majority’.  
Scheduled caste, 
scheduled tribes, 
religious minorities 
and other backward classes together 
constitute a majority.  The party aims to 
give power in the hands of the ‘majority’.
(6) Nationalist Congress Party : In 
1999, there was a split in the Congress 
Party and Nationalist Congress Party was 
established. The party 
believes in the values 
of democracy, equality 
and secularism. The 
party was in power in 
Maharashtra from 
1999 to 2014 in 
coalition with the 
Congress Party.  Nationalist Congress 
Party for a long period was also a part 
of coalition government led by Congress 
at Centre from 2004 to 2014.
(7) Trinamool Congress : All India 
Trinamool Congress 
Party was established 
in 1998. Election 
Commission gave the 
party recognition as 
national party in 
2016. The party 
supports democracy, 
secularism and protection of interests of 
weaker sections of the society. 
Number of seats secured by National parties 
in Loksabha elections of 2009 and 2014.
National Parties
Number of Seats
2009 2014
Indian National 
Congress
206 44
Communist Party of 
India
04 01
Bharatiya Janata 
Party
116 282
Communist Party  
of India (Marxist)
16 09
Bahujan Samaj 
Party
21 -
Nationalist Congress 
Party
09 06
86
You must be reading different news 
in newspapers. Through these news items 
we get information about various parties 
existing in different states of India. 
 Do these parties function only at State 
level ?
 Some state leaders are influential at 
national level, while some have 
influence only at state level. Why is it 
so ?
With the help of such questions we 
will try to get information about various 
regional parties in India.  We will study 
some of the regional parties from different 
parts of India. 
In India we find people speaking 
different languages and having different 
traditions and culture. They belong to 
different parts of India. We see different 
regions have their own language. You 
have already studied different geographical 
regions in Maharashtra. In Maharashtra 
there exists geographical and cultural 
diversity. Maharashtra is different from 
Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. 
The feeling of affinity developed 
about our language and region gradually 
turns into the identity consciousness and 
finally gives rise to regionalism. People 
start thinking primarily about the interest 
and development of their own region. 
They start feeling proud of their language, 
literature, traditions, history of social 
reforms, educational and cultural 
movements and this gives rise to the 
development of linguistic identity. Regional 
identity develops from the consciousness 
about the development of region and the 
feeling that people belonging to the region 
should have claim over resources and 
employment opportunities.
When linguistic, regional, cultural and 
other identities get connected, regional 
consciousness emerges as a stronger 
feeling. Sometimes it gives rise to 
independent political parties or pressure 
groups or movements. All such 
developments aim at the protection of the 
interests of region. 
Regional Parties
Regional parties are those groups in 
the region who have a proud feeling 
about the different identity of their region 
and who compete to get political power 
with the objective of regional development. 
The influence of regional parties is limited 
to a particular region. Though they play 
a significant role at the regional level, 
they influence national politics as well.   
Regional parties give preference to the 
Power shift in Tamil Nadu
Which portfolio-Home 
or Social Welfare ?
Haryana Janahit 
Congress achieves 
to objectives
Shiromani Akali Dal 
gets clear majority
Formation of a new Party in 
Maharashtra
Looking for opportune time 
to give up power ?
Coalition of PDP 
and BJP
Anti Defection Law 
conducive to Democracy
Political marketing 
leading to terror