Class:-10 Democratic Politics
Term 2 :- Political Parties
Note :- Students are instructed to read the text book compulsorily depending upon the points notes.
Introduction:-
➢ In this chapter we will study the nature and working of political parties.
➢ We will also understand why we need political parties and how many political parties are needed in
Democracy.
➢ We will also learn about national and regional political parties of India and the challenges of political
parties and recent efforts to reform them.
6.1 Why do we need political parties?
➢ A political party is a political association of a group of who came together to contest in elections and
hold power in the government.
➢ They agree on same polices and program to promote collective goods.
➢ Political parties are the most visible institution of democracy for about means only political
organizations.
➢ The political parties try to convince why their polices are better than others.
➢ Political parties reflect the fundamental division in a society. A party is known by which part it
stands which polices it supports and whose interest it carries.
➢ Three components of political parties are:-
a. The leaders
b. The active members
c. The followers.
6.2 Functions of political parties:-
➢ Parties contest in elections and form governments.
➢ Parties put forward different policies and programmes.
➢ Parties share public opinion.
➢ Parties play the role of opposition.
➢ Parties help the people to access the government machinery and welfare programmes.
6.3 Impacts of No party system:-
➢ It is difficult to imagine a political system without the political parties.
➢ If there are no political parties:-
a. All candidates will be independent.
b. No promises for any polices can be given and government may be formed without utility.
c. Each representatives will be accountable only to his locality and none will be responsible for the
whole country.
d. A responsible government can be formed only by elected representatives.
6.4 How many parties should we have?
➢ In democracy, any group of citizens can form a political party.
➢ At present more than 1600 political parties have registered in election commission of India but only
400 parties contest in elections.
➢ The major party system are following:-
a. One party system [mono party system]:-It’s a system in which only one party operates the
entire party system for various reasons. In this system their will be no opposition.
Ex:- China’s communist party.
b. Two party system[bi party system]:- it’s a party system where only 2 major parties own and
operate the entire political system of the country. In this system, the power usually changes
between 2 political parties.
Ex:- US [republican party and democratic party] UK[Labour party and conservative party].
c. Multi party system:- It is a party system in which more than 2 parties exists in elections to form
government. In this system, sometimes several parties join hands before the election by forming
alliances front. In 2004 elections, we had 3 alliance.
➢ National Democratic Alliance[NDA].
➢ United Progressive Alliance[UPA].
➢ Left front.
National Political Parties and State Political Parties.
➢ In federal system there are 2 types of political parties.
➢ National political parties and regional political parties.
➢ Political parties which are present in only one of the federal units is called regional or state political
parties.
➢ The political parties that are present in several or all the units of federation is called National
political parties.
➢ The national political parties are called recognized political parties and are treated with special
symbol etc....
➢ Criteria to recognize a party as national or state political party.
➢ To recognize as a state party, a party has to secure at least 6% of total votes in a legislative assembly
election as well as it should win at least 2 seats in that election.
➢ To recognize as a national political party a party has to secure 6% of total votes in a lok sabha
election or 6% votes in assembly elections of any four states with at least four seats in that lok sabha
election.
➢ According to this criteria there were 6 national political parties in India.
I. Indian National Congress[INC]:-
➢ INC is one of the oldest parties in India which was founded in 1885 by A O Hume.
➢ It was the ruling party at the centre till 1977 and then between 1980-1989.
➢ In 2004 Lok – Sabha elections it got 145 seats and 2009 also it remained as a largest party in India
with 204 seats.
➢ Now, congress leads UPA government at the centre.
II. Bharatiya Janatha Party:-
➢ BJP was founded in 1980, by reviving the while Bharathiya Jana Sangh.
➢ BJP wants to build a strong modern India by drawing inspiration from India’s ancient culture and
values.
➢ Cultural nationalism or Hindutva is one of its basic principles.
➢ It came to power in 1998, lost elections in 2004 and now continues as a (opposition) party.
III. Bahugan Samajwadi Party:-
➢ BSP was formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi-Ram.
➢ BSP represents dalits, adivasis OBC’s and minorities.
➢ They drew inspiration from the teachings of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswamy
Naicker, Baba Sahib Ambedkar etc...
➢ In 2004 elections, it got 5% vote 10 seats.
➢ It is powerful in UP, MP, Chattisgarh, Delhi and Punjab.
IV. CPI-M [Communist Party of India-Marxist]:-
➢ It was founded in 1964, the party believes in Marxism, Leninism and supports socialism and
democracy while opposing imperialism and communalism.
➢ This party is strong in Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Tripura.
➢ In 2004, parliamentary elections, this party gained 6% vote and 43 seats.
V. CPI [Communist Party of India]:-
➢ CPI was formed in 1925.
➢ It believes in Marxism, Leninism, secularism and democracy.
➢ The party became weak when it spitted in 1964 as CPI and CPI-M.
➢ Now, the party is present in Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab, AP Tamil Nadu.
➢ It got 14% votes and 10 seats in 2004.
VI. Nationalist Congress Party[NCP]:-
➢ NCP was formed in 1999 after a split in congress.
➢ The party believes in democracy, Gandhian secularism social justice and federation.
➢ NCP is powerful in Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Manipur and Assam.
6.6 State Political Party:-
➢ The parties that are present in one of few states are called state parties or regional parties.
➢ The original parties need not be regional in the ideology and outlook.
➢ Samajwadi Party and Samata Party have a national level political organizations.
➢ The parties like Biju Ganathadal Kerala Congress, Sikkin Democratic fron etc… are state conscious.
➢ Regional parties are important in multi – party system when the coalition government is formed.
6.7 Challenges of political parties.
➢ There are lots of criticism about the failure of political parties.
➢ The Lokpal bill and struggle of Anna Hazare have won such a popularity in India because of this at
present.
➢ The four important challenges that political parties face are:-
A. Lack of Internal Democracy within parties:-
➢ It’s a world tendency that political power concentrate in one or few leaders of the top.
➢ Parties do not conduct meetings and internal elections regularly.
➢ Ordinary members don’t get sufficient and update information about what happens inside the
politics.
B. Dynastic succession of leaders:-
➢ Due to open and transport procedures, ordinary members get very few opportunities to rise to
the top.
➢ In many parties top position are owned by family members.
C. Growing role of money and muscle power in parties:-
➢ During elections the parties follow a lot of unfair practices.
➢ Often parties support rich and criminals to contest in elections.
D. Absence of meaningful choice:-
➢ Decline in the ideological difference of parties in every country.
➢ In U K there is no much ideological difference between labour party and conservative party.
6.8 How can parties be reformed?
➢ To face challenges political parties have been reformed.
➢ Willingness of political parties to be reformed is a major obstacle.
➢ Recent efforts done to reform the political parties.
✓ Constitution was amended to prevent MP’s and MLA’s from changing political parties after
being elected.
✓ According to this anti defection act, if any leader change his party afterbeing elected from
that party, will lose the seat.
✓ Supreme court has passed an order to reduce influence of money and criminals in politics.
✓ According to this system of “Affidavit”, every candidate has to submit a document which
includes details of personal matters like his/her family members, property details, civil or
criminal, bank account, insurance details etc….
New suggestions to reform political parties:-
a. A law should be made to regulate the internal affairs of political parties. According to this law, it
should be compulsory for each political party to maintain a register of its members, follow its own
constitution and to conduct elections regularly.
b. Political parties should give at least one-third of their ticket to the women candidates as well as there
should be a quota in the decision making bodies of parties for women.
c. Political parties can also be reformed by putting pressure on parties through petitions, agitations,
movements by pressure groups and movement groups.
*******************
