Major Political Parties in India: In India, a political party is an organized group that works alongside candidates to participate in public elections. These parties devise specific plans and initiatives for the public, aiming to benefit society as a whole.
India’s diverse political landscape includes six major national parties: AAP, BSP, BJP, Congress, CPI-M, and NPP (the first national party representing the North-East). Moreover, there are over 56 state-level parties.
Below, you’ll discover a comprehensive list of all national and state major political parties in India.
National Political Parties in India
National political parties in India differ from regional ones as they hold influence throughout the entire country. They are crucial in winning the Lok Sabha elections and nominating the Prime Minister.
To be recognized as a national political party in India, a party must meet specific criteria set by the Indian Election Commission. These standards are outlined in the Representation of the People Act of 1951. To qualify, a party needs to meet one or more of the following requirements:
Gain a minimum of 6% of valid votes in four or more states to be elected to the Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly, along with securing at least four Lok Sabha seats.
Secure at least 2% of Lok Sabha seats in the general election, with at least one seat from each of three different states.
Also Read: Constitution Day 2023 India
List of National Political Parties in India
The following is the list of national major political parties in India:
| List of National Political Parties in India | |||
| S. No. | Political Party Name (Full Form) | Abbreviation | Founding Date |
| 1. | Bharatiya Janata Party | BJP | 6 April 1980 |
| 2. | Indian National Congress | INC | 28 December 1885 |
| 3. | Communist Party of India | CPI | 26 December 1925 |
| 3. | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | CPI-M | 7 November 1964 |
| 4. | Aam Aadmi Party | AAP | 26 November 2012 |
| 5. | Bahujan Samaj Party | BSP | 14 April 1984 |
| 6. | National People’s Party | NPP | 6 January 2013 |
| 7. | All India Trinamool Congress | AITC | 1 January 1998 |
| 8. | Nationalist Congress Party | NCP | 10 June 1999 |
Major National Parties of India
As of 2023, India has several officially recognized national parties. These include the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), Indian National Congress (INC), and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
On April 10, 2023, the Election Commission of India (ECI) removed the national party status of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Communist Party of India (CPI). Simultaneously, the ECI acknowledged Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a national party.
This decision was based on a review of these parties’ performance in elections since 2014. The ECI found that TMC, NCP, and CPI did not meet the requirements for national party status. These requirements include securing at least 6% of valid votes in the Lok Sabha election and winning two seats each in both the Lok Sabha and a state assembly.
State Political Parties in India
In India, a state party is a political group acknowledged at the state or union territory level but not at the federal level. These parties focus on local matters within a specific state or territory.
The Election Commission of India is responsible for recognizing a party as a state party. To gain this recognition, a political party typically needs to meet specific state-based criteria, often related to its performance in state-level elections such as Assembly or local body elections. The exact requirements can differ from state to state.
List of State Political Parties in India
The following is the list of state major political parties in India:
| List of State Political Parties in India | |||
| Name | Abbreviation | Founding Year | States/UT |
| All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | AIADMK | 1972 | Puducherry, Tamil Nadu |
| All India Forward Bloc | AIFB | 1939 | West Bengal |
| All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen | AIMIM | 1927 | Telangana |
| All India N.R. Congress | AINRC | 2011 | Puducherry |
| All India United Democratic Front | AIUDF | 2004 | Assam |
| All Jharkhand Students Union | AJSU | 1986 | Jharkhand |
| Asom Gana Parishad | AGP | 1985 | Assam |
| Biju Janata Dal | BJD | 1997 | Odisha |
| Bodoland People’s Front | BPF | 1985 | Assam |
| Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam | DMDK | 2005 | Tamil Nadu |
| Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | DMK | 1949 | Puducherry, Tamil Nadu |
| Indian Union Muslim League | IUML | 1948 | Kerala |
| Hill State People’s Democratic Party | HSPDP | 1968 | Meghalaya |
| Indian National Lok Dal | INLD | 1999 | Haryana |
| Jammu & Kashmir National Conference | JKNC | 1932 | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party | JKNPP | 1982 | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Jammu & Kashmir Apni Party | JKAP | 2020 | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party | JKPDP | 1998 | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Janata Dal (Secular) | JD(S) | 1999 | Karnataka, Kerala |
| Janata Dal (United) | JD(U) | 1999 | Bihar |
| Lok Jan Shakti Party | LJP | 2000 | Bihar |
| Jharkhand Mukti Morcha | JMM | 1972 | Jharkhand |
| Rashtriya Lok Dal | RLD | 1996 | Uttar Pradesh |
| People’s Democratic Front | 2017 | Meghalaya | |
| Kerala Congress (M) | KC(M) | 1979 | Kerala |
| Maharashtra Navnirman Sena | MNS | 2006 | Maharashtra |
| Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party | MGP | 1963 | Goa |
| United People’s Party Liberal | UPPL | 2015 | Assam |
| Mizo National Front | MNF | 1959 | Mizoram |
| Mizoram People’s Conference | MPC | 1972 | Mizoram |
| Naga People’s Front | NPF | 2002 | Manipur, Nagaland |
| Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party | NDPP | 2017 | Nagaland |
| Pattali Makkal Katchi | PMK | 1989 | Puducherry, Tamil Nadu |
| People’s Party of Arunachal | PDA | 1977 | Arunachal Pradesh |
| Rashtriya Janata Dal | RJD | 1997 | Bihar, Jharkhand |
| Rashtriya Loktantrik Party | RLP | 2020 | Rajasthan |
| Zoram Nationalist Party | ZNP | 1997 | Mizoram |
| Revolutionary Socialist Party | RSP | 1940 | Kerala, West Bengal |
| Samajwadi Party | SP | 1992 | Uttar Pradesh |
| Shiromani Akali Dal | SAD | 1920 | Punjab |
| Shiv Sena | SS | 1966 | Maharashtra |
| Sikkim Democratic Front | SDF | 1993 | Sikkim |
| Sikkim Krantikari Morcha | SKM | 2013 | Sikkim |
| Telangana Rashtra Samithi | TRS | 2001 | Telangana |
| Telugu Desam Party | TDP | 1982 | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| Tipra Motha Party | TMP | 2022 | Tripura |
| United Democratic Party | UDP | 1972 | Meghalaya |
| YSR Congress Party | YSRCP | 2011 | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) | SJP | 1990 | Uttar Pradesh |
| Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation | CPI (ML)L | 1974 | Bihar |
| Goa Forward Party | GFP | 2016 | Goa |
| Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura | IPFT | 2009 | Tripura |
| Janta Congress Chhattisgarh | JCC | 2016 | Chhattisgarh |
| Jan Nayak Janta Party | JJP | 2018 | Haryana |
Role of Political Parties in India
The role of Political Parties in India involves various key functions:
- Participating in Elections: Political parties in India actively participate in electoral contests.
- Forming and Operating the Government: These parties play a pivotal role in forming the government and managing the country’s affairs in India.
- Presenting Diverse Approaches and Projects: They propose different approaches and projects for the betterment of individuals within the country.
- Decision-Making: Political parties play a crucial role in decision-making processes, creating, enacting, and implementing policies.
- Government Structure and Function: When successful in elections, these parties structure and operate the government. If they lose, they take on the role of the opposition, critiquing the government’s actions.
- Influencing Public Opinion: These parties shape public opinions on various issues, assisting individuals in forming their own opinions and sometimes influencing them to change their views.
- Connecting the Population to Government Policies: Political parties help the general population understand and access the government’s policies and actions.
How to Strengthen the Political Parties in India
Political party leaders should implement stricter regulations to address internal issues, committing themselves to these rules. To ensure better representation and resolution of women’s and gender disparity issues, each party must reserve at least 33% of seats for women.
Anyone within a party found guilty of any wrongdoing should be expelled. It’s crucial for the government to enforce tighter regulations to prevent political parties from influencing voters with money before elections.
Every political party must register with the Election Commission, which provides various benefits for well-established parties. The Commission has clearly defined guidelines regarding the required number of votes and seats for a party to be recognized.
A State Party is acknowledged if it secures a minimum of 6% of total votes in a State’s Legislative Assembly election and wins at least 2 seats. A National Party is recognized if it gains a minimum of 6% of total votes in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections in four states and secures at least 4 seats in the Lok Sabha.
Major Political Parties in India in Detail
The details of major political parties in India is given below:
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
The BJP, established in 1980, had its roots in a vision by Syama Prasad Mukherjee back in 1951. Drawing inspiration from India’s rich cultural heritage and the ideals of Deendayal Upadhyaya, it aims to build a strong and modern India.
An important aspect of its ideology is social patriotism, also known as ‘Hindutva,’ which plays a significant role in shaping the concept of Indian nationhood and politics. Initially confined to the northern and western regions and urban areas, the party has expanded its support to the south, east, northeast, and rural areas.
Indian National Congress (INC)
Commonly referred to as the Congress Party, the INC holds the distinction of being one of the world’s oldest political parties, established in 1885. Over the years, it has undergone various transformations.
Under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, the party aspired to establish a modern, secular, and democratic republic in India. The core principles of the INC revolve around promoting secularism and the welfare of marginalized groups and minorities.
All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)
Launched under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee on January 1, 1998, the AITC earned national party status in 2016. The party’s emblem comprises flowers and grass, symbolizing its commitment to secularism and federalism.
It has been in power in West Bengal since around 2011 and also has a presence in states like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
Formed in 1984, the BSP, led by Kanshi Ram, advocates for the rights of the Bahujan Samaj, which includes Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, and religious minorities. Its primary focus is to champion the interests and well-being of marginalized communities.
While its stronghold is in Uttar Pradesh, it also wields significant influence in neighboring states such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Punjab. The BSP has, at various times, formed governments in Uttar Pradesh by seeking support from various parties.
Major Political Parties in India FAQs
Q.1. What are National Political Parties in India?
Ans. National political parties in India have a wide influence throughout the country and play a crucial role in the Lok Sabha elections. To be recognized as a national party, a political group must meet certain criteria set by the Indian Election Commission, primarily focusing on factors like the number of votes secured and seats won in different states.
Q.2. How many National Political Parties exist in India?
Ans. As of the latest update in 2023, there are several recognized national parties in India, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People’s Party (NPP), All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Q.3. What determines a State Political Party in India?
Ans. State political parties operate at the state or union territory level but not at the national level. Each state recognizes different parties based on the criteria established by the Election Commission of India. The criteria can vary from state to state and typically relate to performance in state-level elections.
Q.4. How many State Political Parties are there in India?
Ans. India boasts numerous state-level political parties across different states and union territories. These parties focus on local issues and concerns within their specific region. The total number of state political parties exceeds 56.
Q.5. What is the role of Political Parties in India?
Ans. Political parties in India play several essential roles, including participating in elections, forming and running the government, proposing various approaches for societal betterment, making critical decisions, influencing public opinion, and bridging the gap between the general population and government policies.
