POLITICAL PARTIES

Meaning of political party

®        A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.

®        Parties are about a part of the society and thus involve Partisanship.

®        Partisan: A person who is strongly committed to a party, group or faction. Partisanship is marked by a tendency to take a side and inability to take a balanced view on an issue.

Components of political parties

            (1) the leaders,

            (2) the active members and

            (3) the followers

Why do we need political parties?

®        We need political parties because they perform certain functions.

Functions

            (1) Parties contest elections. Candidate fights election for party.

            Different ways to select candidate

            (i) In USA, members and supporters of a party choose its candidates.

            (ii) In India, top party leaders choose candidates for contesting elections by giving party ticket.

            (2) Parties put forward different policies and programmes.

            (3) Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country.

            (4) Parties form and run governments. Parties recruit leaders, trains them and then make them ministers to run the government in the way they want.

            (5) Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition to the parties in power, by voicing different views and criticising government for its failures or wrong policies.

            (6) Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues. Parties have lakhs of members and activists spread all over the country.

            (7) Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments. For an ordinary citizen it is easy to approach a local party leader than a government officer.

Importance of political parties

®        In a country without political parties every candidate in the elections will be independent. The government may be formed, but its utility will remain ever uncertain. Elected representative will be accountable to their constituency for what they do in the locality. But no one will be responsible for how the country run.

How many parties should we have?

®        More than 750 parties are registered with the Election Commission of India.

           

®        In some countries only one party is allowed to control and run the government. These are called one-party systems.

            Example: In China, only the Communist Party is allowed to rule.

           

®        In some countries, power usually changes between two main parties. Such a party system is called two-party system.

            Example: The United States of America and the United Kingdom are examples of two-party system.

           

®        If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in alliance with others, we call it a multi-party system.

            Example: India

®        When several parties in a multi-party system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power, it is called an alliance or a front.

            Example:  In India there were three such major alliances in 2004 parliamentary elections– the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left Front.

           

®        Several parties form government known as coalition government

            India has evolved a multi-party system; it is because the social and geographical diversity in such a large country is not easily absorbed by two or even three parties.

Popular participation in political parties

            Based on sample survey a report:

            (1) Political parties enjoy much trust among the people in South Asia than rest of the globe.

            (2) Over the last three decades the proportion of those who report to be members of political parties in India has gone up steadily.

Types of political parties

®        The Election Commission has laid down detailed criteria of the proportion of votes and seats that a party must get in order to be a recognised party.

           

®        A party that secures at least six per cent of total votes in Lok Sabha elections or Assembly elections in four States and wins at least four seats in the Lok Sabha is recognized as a national party.

®        A party that secures at least 6 per cent of the total votes in an election to the Legislative Assembly of a State and wins at least two seats is recognised as a State party.

®        According to this classification, there were six national recognised parties in the country in 2006.

NATIONAL PARTIES

            (1) INC (Indian National Congress)

®        Founded – 1885

®        Ideology -   Secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities

®        Currently leads the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition government at the Centre.

            (2) BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)

®        Founded – 1980

®        Ideology -   Cultural nationalism (or ‘Hindutva’)

®        Came to power in 1998 as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)

            (3) BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party)

®        Founded – 1984, Founder- Kanshi Ram

®        Ideology -  TO secure power for the bahujan samaj which includes the dalits, adivasis, OBCs and religious minorities.

®        It has its main base in the state of Uttar Pradesh. In the Lok Sabha elections held in 2004, it polled about 5 per cent votes and secured 19 seats in the Lok Sabha.

            (4) CPI-M (Communist Party of India – Marxist)

®        Founded – 1964

®        Ideology -   Supports socialism, secularism and democracy and opposes imperialism and communalism.

®        Enjoys strong support in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura In 2004 elections, it won about 6 per cent of votes and 43 seats in the Lok Sabha. Currently supports UPA government from outside.

            (5) CPI (Communist Party of  India)

®        Founded – 1925

®        Ideology -   Believes in Marxism-Leninism, secularism and democracy.

®        Became weak after the split in the party in 1964 that led to the formation of the CPI(M). It

            secured about 1.4 per cent votes and 10 seats in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Currently supports UPA government from outside.

            (6) NCP (Nationalist Congress Party)

®        Founded – 1999

®        Ideology -   Gandhian secularism, equity, social justice and federalism

®        A major party in Maharashtra. Since 2004, a member of the United Progressive Alliance

Important State / Regional Parties of India

S.N.	Party	State
1	Samajwadi Party	Uttar Pradesh
2	National Conference	Jammu and Kashmir
3	Rashtriya Janata Dal	Bihar
4	Biju Janata Dal	Odhisa
5	Forward Block	West Bengal
6	Shiromani Akali Dal	Punjab
7	Shiv Sena	Maharashtra
8	Trinamool Congress	West Bengal
9	Telgu Desham Party	Andhara Pradesh
10	All India Anna DMK	Tamil nadu
11	Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam	Tamil nadu

Problems of political parties

            (1) The first challenge is lack of internal democracy within parties. One or few leaders exercise paramount power in the party.

            (2) The second challenge is of dynastic succession. In many parties, the top positions are always controlled by members of one family.

            (3) The third challenge is about the growing role of money and muscle power in parties, parties nominate those candidates who have or can raise lots of money. In some cases, parties support criminals who can win elections.

            (4) The fourth challenge is that very often parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters.

            Example:

            The difference between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party in Britain is very little. They agree on more fundamental aspects but differ only in details on how policies are to be framed and implemented.

How can parties be reformed?

®        Anti-defection law: The Constitution was amended to prevent elected MLAs and MPs from changing parties. This was done because many elected representatives were indulging in DEFECTION in order to become ministers or for cash rewards.

            Other suggestions:

®        A law should be made to regulate the internal affairs of political parties. For example parties hold open elections to the highest posts.

®        It should be made mandatory for political parties to give a minimum number of tickets, about one-third, to women candidates.

®        There should be state funding of elections. The government should give parties money to support their election expenses. This support could be given in kind: petrol, paper, telephone etc.

®        People can put pressure on political parties. This can be done through petitions, publicity and agitations.