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3. Political Parties

In the last chapter we studied the characteristics of political parties : working of constitution and election To be in power : Achieving power procedure. Political parties are a link that through elections is the main objective of connects common people, democracy, political parties. Thus different political representation and elections. Whatever we parties compete with each other to get read or hear about politics is related to power. There is nothing wrong in this political parties. Political parties exist in competition, but the competition should all democratic systems. In fact political be fair. parties compete with each other only in To pursue an ideology : Every a democracy. In this chapter we will political party has some policies and world study the political party system in India. views. Parties have a particular stand In your school and the surroundings about social issues. These together make you must have seen some groups, party ideology. The people who consider institutions, organisations working to any specific party ideology as acceptable achieve some objective. Some support that political party. Social support organisations take initiative in resolving received by a political party is called the social problems. You may have read ‘mass base’ of political party. In modern about the various movements and their days ideologies of all political parties work. Just as there are active groups, appear to be similar hence it has become institutions and movements, similarly difficult to differentiate between the parties there are political parties who contest on the basis of ideologies. elections. Political parties are also a kind To have a Party Agenda : Political of social organisations, but there is a parties prepare their party’s agenda on difference between political parties and the basis of party ideology. They other institutions and organisations in implement the agenda after they get society. The difference is in the goals and political power. Even if they do not get style of working of political parties and political power, political parties try to get other organisations. On this background, support of people on the basis of this we can say that when people form agenda. organisations with the objective of To Establish a Government : achieving political power and participate Political parties establish the government in the electoral process, such organisations and govern the nation. The political party are called political parties. Political parties which gets majority in elections forms the thus can be described as a group of government. The parties which do not get people who aim to contest elections, win majority act as opposition parties. elections and get power and establish the government of their party. To act as a link between the Government and the people : Political Following are some important parties work as a link between the

Government and the people. Political (3) After the 1989 Loksabha Elections, parties communicate the demands and the system of one party emerging as complaints of the people to the government. dominant party came to an end. Since The government tries to get support of the then different parties began to come people for its policies and programmes together to form coalition governments. through political parties. Both the Bharatiya and Party made an experiment of What do you understand by the establishing coalition governments. The following news in newspapers? belief that coalition government brings Explain in brief instability was proved wrong by the Opposition parties held a meeting in political party system in our country. In Mumbai to resist the Ruling party. fact, the coalition government system as Will take up the issue of farmers ? stabilised in India.

Ruling party organised ‘Samvad Yatra’ in rural areas. Do you know ?

Imagine you are an opposition If power remains with one party leader and you have observed political party for a long period that the ruling party has not done and if no other political parties good work in the field of health. are influential- the party system What will you do as a leader of is called as one party system opposition ? In politics, when two political

parties are influential and if political parties enjoy power Think and write. alternatively, the party system , Vinoba Bhave is called two party system and Jayprakash Narayan put forth the idea of partyless democracy. When many political parties compete for political power and What has to be done to bring such democracy in modern times? more or less they are equally influential, the party system is called multi-party system. Changing nature of political party system in India :

(1) The Congress was a strong political party in the post-independence Do this. period. Congress had a majority at Centre and in most of the States. Indian politics Find out the member parties of was controlled by the Congress Party. the following leading coalitions. This era was described as Era of ‘Single (1) National Democratic Alliance dominant party system’. (NDA) (2) The non-Congress parties came (2) United Progressive Alliance together and challenged ‘Single dominant (UPA) party system’ in 1977.

National Parties

Also understand (Reference : Election Commission of India, The national parties and the Notification No.56/201/PPS-111, dated 13 regional parties. December 2016) To get recognition as a national (1) : The party, the Election Commission has Indian National Congress was established prescribed the following conditions: in 1885. At the time of its establishment, Congress was an all comprehensive (a) A political party should secure movement working for national minimum 6% of the valid votes independence. Groups with different in four or more States in the ideologies had come together in this earlier Loksabha or State nationalist movement. Assembly elections and minimum After independence 4 members should be elected in the Congress emerged the Loksabha from any state or as the most dominant states in the earlier elections. political party. The Or party, from the (b) The candidates of a party should beginning, follows be elected from minimum 2% the policy of constituencies out of total secularism, all round development, equal Loksabha constituencies and rights and welfare for minorities and from minimum 3 states. disadvantageous sections of the society. Accordingly, Congress has organised To get recognition as a regional various programmes to achieve those party, the Election Commission has objectives. The party believes in prescribed the following conditions : democratic , social equality and (a) A political party should secure international peace. minimum 6% of the valid votes (2) : This in the earlier Loksabha or State party based on the Assembly elections and minimum communist ideology 2 members should be elected in was established in the Vidhan Sabha (State 1925. It is an old Assembly). party in India. This Or party works for the (b) A political party should secure welfare of labourers and workers. The minimum 3% of seats out of party opposes capitalism. The party total seats of Vidhansabha – leadership developed differences in 1962 (State Assembly) or minimum 3 over the issue of whether Communist seats. Party of India should accept the leadership of Communist China or the Soviet Union.

This led to the split in Communist Party Let us know about some important of India and a separate party – Communist political parties in India. Party of India (Marxist) was formed.

(3) : established. The party Bharatiya Janata Party is an important believes in the values party at the national level. Bharatiya Jan of democracy, equality Sangh was established in and secularism. The 1951. This party was party was in power in merged with Janata Party Maharashtra from that was established in 1999 to 2014 in 1977. The Janata Party coalition with the could not survive. There Congress Party. Nationalist Congress was a split in the party Party for a long period was also a part and Bharatiya Jan Sangh- the component of coalition government led by Congress party of Janata Party established a new at Centre from 2004 to 2014. party in 1980- Bharatiya Janata Party. (7) Trinamool Congress : All India The party stands for the protection of Trinamool Congress Indian culture and traditions. The party Party was established gives importance to economic reforms. in 1998. Election (4) Communist Party of India Commission gave the (Marxist) : This party party recognition as proclaims socialism, national party in secularism and 2016. The party democracy. The party supports democracy, opposes imperialism. secularism and protection of interests of Party’s policy is to weaker sections of the society. protect the interests of workers, farmers and Number of seats secured by National parties landless labourers. in Loksabha elections of 2009 and 2014. Number of Seats (5) : Bahujan National Parties Samaj Party professes the Socialist 2009 2014 ideology. In 1984 the Indian National 206 44 party was established Congress with the objective of Communist Party of protecting the interest 04 01 of the ‘majority’. India Scheduled caste, Bharatiya Janata 116 282 scheduled tribes, Party religious minorities Communist Party 16 09 and other backward classes together of India (Marxist) constitute a majority. The party aims to Bahujan Samaj give power in the hands of the ‘majority’. 21 - Party (6) Nationalist Congress Party : In 1999, there was a split in the Congress Nationalist Congress 09 06 Party and Nationalist Congress Party was Party

Which portfolio-Home or Social Welfare ?

Political marketing leading to terror Coalition of PDP and BJP

Haryana Janahit Congress achieves to objectives

You must be reading different news and development of their own region. in newspapers. Through these news items They start feeling proud of their language, we get information about various parties literature, traditions, history of social existing in different states of India. reforms, educational and cultural Do these parties function only at State movements and this gives rise to the level ? development of linguistic identity. Regional Some state leaders are influential at identity develops from the consciousness national level, while some have about the development of region and the influence only at state level. Why is it feeling that people belonging to the region so ? should have claim over resources and employment opportunities. With the help of such questions we will try to get information about various When linguistic, regional, cultural and regional parties in India. We will study other identities get connected, regional some of the regional parties from different consciousness emerges as a stronger parts of India. feeling. Sometimes it gives rise to independent political parties or pressure In India we find people speaking groups or movements. All such different languages and having different developments aim at the protection of the traditions and culture. They belong to interests of region. different parts of India. We see different regions have their own language. You Regional Parties have already studied different geographical Regional parties are those groups in regions in Maharashtra. In Maharashtra the region who have a proud feeling there exists geographical and cultural about the different identity of their region diversity. Maharashtra is different from and who compete to get political power Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. with the objective of regional development. The feeling of affinity developed The influence of regional parties is limited about our language and region gradually to a particular region. Though they play turns into the identity consciousness and a significant role at the regional level, finally gives rise to regionalism. People they influence national politics as well. start thinking primarily about the interest Regional parties give preference to the

resolution of regional problems. For the more autonomy. This was the second development of the region they demand stage in the development of regional more autonomy and authority. Though parties. This stage began after 1990. they cooperate with federal government, (3) The regional parties demanded they try to protect their autonomy. that for the development of the region, Regional parties make several people from region should get power at demands such as regional problems should State and national level. For example, be resolved at regional level; political , Telugu Desam, etc. power should be in the hands of the (4) The development of regional people from region and residents of the parties in North East shows a different region should get preference in trend. They gave up their demand of administration and jobs. separatism and have started demanding Changing nature of regional parties autonomy. The regional parties from in India : Regional parties came into North East are now entering in mainstream existence in India in the post independent of national politics. period. However, over the years their In short we can say that role of nature and role has changed significantly. regional parties in India has passed (1) Initially regional identities gave through various phases - from separatism rise to the separatist movements. The to autonomy and now towards entry into demands for independent Khalistan, mainstream national politics. Coalition Dravidistan were made with the objective politics is one of the consequence of their of parting from the Indian federation and increasing influence in national politics. exist as an independent State. Regional In India we have many regional parties from Punjab, , and parties. It is not possible to know about Jammu and Kashmir have made such all such parties in this chapter. We will demands. study some parties as representative of (2) The demands of regional parties India’s East, West, North and South gradually changed. Instead of an regions. independent state, they started demanding Some Major Regional Parties as shown below

(1) Main political party in Maharashtra – established in 1966.

Objective – protection of the rights of Marathi people, promotion of Marathi Shiv Sena Language, resistance to people from other regions.

In 1995 it entered into a coalition with BJP and came to power in Maharashtra. It shares power with the BJP in Maharashtra since 2014.

(2) Established in 1920- a prominent regional party in Punjab

Shiromani Objective of cultivating religious Akali and regional identity Dal

Assumes power in Punjab for many years.

(3)

Main regional party in Jammu Kashmir - established in and 1932. Kashmir National Protect the interests of Kashmiri Conference people and protection of autonomous status.

(4) Assam agreement was signed in Assam Gan Parishad 1985.

Resolve the problems of displaced people. Protect the unique cultural, linguistic and social identity of Assam, economic development of Assam.

Assumes power in Assam for many years.

(5)

Dravida Munnetra Justice Party - a non movement in 1920 Kazhagam was transformed into Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – a political party. In 1944, Justice party came to be known as Dravida Kazhagam. In 1944, a group separated from this party and established another party-Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Another group separated from this party in 1972 and established All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Protection of Tamil Identity, member of Coalition Government at the Centre for some years. The party has support of voters from all sections of society. It was in power for a long period and implemented many policies.

In India we have many regional shows the performance of regional parties parties in every state that have influenced in Maharashtra in the elections of 2009 the state politics. The following chart and 2014. Regional Parties in Maharashtra (Representation in Vidhan Sabha)

Seats won Seats won Name of Party Election Election Name of Party Election Election Year Year Year Year 2009 2014 2009 2014 Shiv Sena 44 63 Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 02 03 Maharashtra 13 01 Rashtriya Samaj 01 01 Navnirman Sena Paksha Peasants and Workers 04 03 All India Majlis-E- * 02 Party Ittehadulla Musalmeen Republican Party of 01 01 Janasurajya Shakti 02 - India-Bahujan Loksangram 01 - Mahasangh Swabhimani Party 01 - Republican Party of - - (* This party did not exist in 2009.) India 04 01

Can you tell ?

Every State in India has regional In this chapter we took a review of parties. It is not possible to take national and regional political parties in review of all those parties. Find out India. In the next chapter we will try to information about other regional understand the importance of social parties with the help of a map of movements in our life. India.