Political Parties in India – India, the world’s largest democracy with a parliamentary system, has a multi-party system. Although there is no mention of the party system in the Indian Constitution, there are about 300 political parties here. The Election Commissioner of India gives recognition and awareness to the political parties in India. Political parties in India are divided into three categories, namely (1) national party, (2) regional party, and (3) recognized party.
Political Parties in India
Political parties are essential to the success of democracy. In Newman’s words, “political parties are the lifeline of modern politics. ” When a group of citizens is organized and serves as a political entity for the purpose of controlling its general policy and governmental affairs, it is called a political party.
Political parties believe in a particular policy or ideology and strive for the national interest. There are about 5 important political parties in India, let’s take a look at these political parties in India. Check Also: List of Political Parties in India
Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress: The Indian National Congress is the oldest and first political party in India. It was created in 1955. The team was founded by a retired British civilian named Sir Alan Octavian Hume. Umesh Chandra Banerjee served as the party’s first president. The party played a key role in India’s struggle for independence.
Since independence, the party has been able to rule for a long time in both the Center and various states. From 2004 to 2014, a coalition government led by the party was formed at the center. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi is now the party’s president (2022).
The party’s election symbol is “Hand”. The party has a strong belief in the establishment of democratic socialism, secularism, belief in a peaceful and constitutional approach, the struggle for social, political, and economic justice, internationalism, the United Nations, and globalization.
Abbreviation | INC |
President | Sonia Gandhi |
Parliamentary Chairperson | Sonia Gandhi |
Lok Sabha leader | Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury |
Rajya Sabha leader | Ghulam Nabi Azad |
Headquarters | 24, Akbar Road, New Delhi-110001 |
Founder | Allan Octavian Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji, Dinshaw Edulji Wacha |
Newspaper | Congress Sandesh |
Alliance | United Progressive Alliance |
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
In 1951, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, led by Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee, joined the Janata Party for 19 years. However, on April 4, 1901, the party’s top leaders left the Janata Party to form a new national party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Its first president was Mr. Atal, Bihari Vajpayee.
The party has gained popularity in various parts of India, especially in northern India. For 13 days in 19 years, 13 months in 18 years, and from 16 to 2009 from 2014 to the present, a coalition government has been formed under the leadership of the party. The party’s election symbol is the “lotus”.
The party’s focus is on establishing politics in India, transparent and corruption-free administration, social justice, secularism, the abolition of Article 370, the prevention of abuse of Article 357, support for the recommendations of the Government Commission, the development of science and technology, and the construction of Ram temples.
Abbreviation | BJP |
President | Jagat Prakash Nadda |
General Secretary | B. L. Santhosh |
Presidium | National Executive |
Parliamentary Chairperson | Narendra Modi |
Lok Sabha leader | Narendra Modi |
Rajya Sabha leader | Thawar Chand Gehlot |
Headquarters | 6-A, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, New Delhi-110002 |
Founder | Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L. K. Advani |
Newspaper | Kamal Sandesh |
Alliance | National Democratic Alliance |
Communist Party of India (CPI)
The Communist Party was born in 1917 in the Soviet Union from the socialist movement in Russia. The Communist Party of India was created in 1924 in India. The group, which believes in Marxism and Leninism, was banned by the government in 1936. After independence, the team became a national team. The party split in the 16th and formed a new party, the Marxist Communist Party. The party’s election symbols were “Da” and “Grain Kenda”.The team is dominant in Kerala, Tripura, and West Bengal. The group was supported by a coalition government at the center.
Abbreviation | CPI |
Founder | S. V. Ghate, M. Singaravelu, K.N. Joglekar, Hasrat Mohani, Muzaffar Ahmed, Ayodhya Prasad |
Leadership | Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy |
General Secretary | D. Raja |
Rajya Sabha leader | Binoy Viswam |
Headquarters | Ajoy Bhavan, 15, Indrajit Gupta Marg, New Delhi, India-110002 |
Newspaper | New Age, Janayugom, Kalantar, Visalaandhra |
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist) split from the Communist Party of India and was created in 1964. As a leftist party, it is committed to socialism. The party, led by the leftist party, has ruled West Bengal for more than 30 years. The party has a role to play in forming a coalition government at the center. The party’s election symbols are daggers, hammers and stars.
Abbreviation | CPI(M) |
General Secretary | Sitaram Yechury |
Founder | E. M. S. Namboodiripad, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, A. K. Gopalan, B. T. Ranadive, M. Basavapunnaiah, Promode Dasgupta, Jyoti Basu, P. Ramamurthi |
Leadership | Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy |
General Secretary | D. Raja |
Rajya Sabha leader | Elamaram Kareem |
Lok Sabha leader | A. M. Ariff |
Headquarters | A. K. Gopalan Bhawan, 27-29, Bhai Vir Singh Marg, New Delhi-110 001 |
Newspaper | People’s Democracy, Ganashakti, Deshabhimani, Theekkathir |
Split from | Communist Party of India |
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
The party was created on April 18, the birth anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, a prominent oppressed leader and the father of the Constitution of India. The party is committed to protecting the interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Education and Social Backward Classes, and oppression. The group is committed to eliminating social and economic inequality and ending oppression. In 1997, the party was recognized by the Election Commission as a national party. The party’s election symbol is ‘elephant’.
Abbreviation | BSP |
President | Mayawati |
Secretary | Satish Chandra Mishra, R S Kushwaha, Munquad Ali, Ram Achal Rajbhar, Mewalal Gautam, R Sridhar |
Lok Sabha leader | Kunwar Danish Ali |
Rajya Sabha leader | Satish Chandra Mishra |
Founder | Kanshi Ram |
Preceded by | DSSSS |
Headquarters | 12, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, New Delhi, India-110001 |
Newspaper | Bahujan Samaj Bulletin |