National Parties

These parties have a national-level presence and play an important role in forming government or opposition at the national level. They highlight issues and shape public opinion on matters of national interest.

The following are the conditions  for a political party to get the status of  a national party:

1. A party should secure at least six per cent of total votes in the Lok Sabha election or in the Assembly election of four states.
2. It should win at least four seats in the Lok Sabha election. 

Currently, India has six important national parties:

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)

Election Symbol: Broom

• It was formed by Arvind Kejriwal in 2012 after a split of opinion with Anna Hazare following the anti-corruption movement in 2011
• It has a significant presence in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, etc. 
• It promotes the ideology of nationalism, populism, secularism, and socialism.
• It is currently the ruling government in Delhi and Punjab and Arvind Kejriwal is its national convener.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)

Election Symbol: Elephant

• It was formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi Ram.
• It was formed to represent and address the views of Bahujan which means majority which includes scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes, and minority religions.
• It follows the principles of BR Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule, Gautam Budha, and other renowned scholars and social reformers.
• It promotes the ideology of social equality, social justice, and self-respect.
• It has its main base in the state of Uttar Pradesh and is also present in Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Delhi, and Punjab.
• It won 10 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha election in 2019 and Mayawati is its current national president.

Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)

Election Symbol: Lotus

• Founded by reviving erstwhile Bharatiya Jan Sangh in1980
• It wants to build a strong and modern India by drawing inspiration from India’s ancient and cultural values.
• It is a right-wing party and promotes the concept of cultural nationalism(Hindutva).
• It is currently the ruling government at the center under the leadership of Narendra Modi and also the ruling government in several states.
• It is the leading party of the National Democratic Alliance and its national president is JP Nadda.

Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M)

Election Symbol: Sickle and Hammer

• This party was formed in 164 after the split from the Communist Party of India
• It believes in Marxism-Leninism, supports socialism, democracy, and secularism, and opposes imperialism and communalism.
• It accepts election as a useful and helpful means of securing social justice in India.
• It enjoys support in the states of West Bengal, Kerala, Tripura, etc., especially among factory workers, and agriculture laborers.
• It is critical of capitalism and new economic policies which allow the free flow of foreign goods in India.

Indian National Congress (INC)

Election Symbol: Palm

• It is one of the oldest parties in India. It was formed in 1885 and experienced many splits since then. 
• It plays an important role in both national and state-level politics.
• Under the leadership of Jawahar Lal Nehru, it sought to build a strong and modern India.
• It is a centrist party (neither left nor right) in terms of orientation.
• It has ruled India for almost 70 years after independence under the prime ministership of great leaders such as JL Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajeev Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh.
• It is currently the opposition party at the national level and leading United Progressive Alliance.

National People’s Party

Election Symbol: Book

• It was formed by PA Sangama after the split from National Congress Party in 2012.
• Its significant presence is in the state of Meghalaya. It is also present in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur.
• It believes only education can empower weaker sections of society and hence its symbol is a book.
• It promotes the ideology of regionalism and ethnocentrism.
• It is the first party from the northeast to get the status of a national party

Read More: National Political Parties in India

Political Parties Class 10 Notes cover the nature and workings of political parties in India, both at the national and regional levels. It discusses the role of political parties in the functioning of a democracy and their significance in representing the diverse interests and opinions of the people. Political Parties Class 10 also highlights the challenges faced by political parties in India, such as corruption, lack of internal democracy, and regional imbalances. It further explores the measures that can be taken to improve the functioning of political parties and make them more accountable and responsive to the needs of the people. Overall, Political Parties Notes provide insight into the role and importance of political parties in the Indian democratic system.

The Class 10 Political Parties Notes cover all the necessary topics that are extremely important for the board examination 2023-2024. It can save you time and will positively affect your results. For complete notes of class 10 social science, visit CBSE Class 10 Social Science Notes where you can find Geography, History, Civics, and Economics notes all in one place.