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Maharashtra State BoardSSC (English Medium) 10th Standard

Overview of Political Parties

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Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Definition: Political Parties

  • When people form organisations with the objective of achieving political power and participate in the electoral process, such organisations are called political parties.
  • Political parties thus can be described as a group of people who aim to contest elections, win elections and get power and establish the government of their party.
Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Key Points: Political Party System in India

  • Political parties link people, democracy, elections and representation.
  • A political party is formed to contest elections and gain political power.
  • Political parties compete in elections to form the government or act as opposition.
  • Each party follows a specific ideology and party agenda.
  • Political parties act as a bridge between the government and the people.
Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Definition: One Party System

If power remains with one political party for a long period and if no other political parties are influential-the party system is called as one party system.

Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Definition: Two Party system

In politics, when two political parties are influential and if political parties enjoy power alternatively, the party system is called two party system.

Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Definition: Multi-party System

When many political parties compete for political power and more or less they are equally influential, the party system is called multi-party system.

Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Key Points: Changing Nature of Political Party System in India

  • After independence, India followed a single dominant party system led by the Congress Party.
  • In 1977, non-Congress parties united and challenged the single-party dominance.
  • After 1989, the era of one dominant party ended and coalition governments became common.
  • Coalition governments proved stable in India, formed by both Congress and BJP.
  • India now follows a multi-party system with both national and regional parties recognised by the Election Commission.
Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Seats Won by National Parties (2009 & 2014)

National Parties Number of Seats (2009) Number of Seats (2014)
Indian National Congress 206 44
Communist Party of India 04 01
Bharatiya Janata Party 116 282
Communist Party of India (Marxist) 16 09
Bahujan Samaj Party 21
Nationalist Congress Party 09 06
Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Key Points: National Parties

  • The Indian National Congress (1885) supports secularism, democratic socialism, equality, and the welfare of the weaker sections.
  • Communist Party of India (1925) works for labourers and opposes capitalism; it later split to form CPI (Marxist) in 1964.
  • CPI (Marxist) supports socialism, secularism, democracy and protects workers, farmers and labourers.
  • Bharatiya Janata Party (1980) focuses on Indian culture, traditions and economic reforms.
  • Bahujan Samaj Party (1984) works for the upliftment of SC, ST, minorities and OBCs.
  • The Nationalist Congress Party (1999) believes in democracy, equality, and secularism and has worked in coalition governments.
  • Regional identity, based on language, culture, and regional interests, led to the rise of regional political parties in India.
Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Regional Parties in Maharashtra

Name of Party Seats won (Election Year 2009) Seats won (Election Year 2014)
Shiv Sena 44 63
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena 13 01
Peasants and Workers Party 04 03
Republican Party of India-Bahujan Mahasangh 01 01
Republican Party of India
Samajwadi Party 04 01
Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Representation in Vidhan Sabha

Name of Party Seats won (Election Year 2009) Seats won (Election Year 2014)
Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 02 03
Rashtriya Samaj Paksha 01 01
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Musalmeen * 02
Janasurajya Shakti 02
Loksangram 01
Swabhimani Party 01
Maharashtra State Board: Class 10

Key Points: Regional Parties

  • Regional parties represent regional identity and work for the political and economic development of a specific region.
  • Their influence is mainly limited to a particular region, but they also affect national politics.
  • Regional parties demand greater autonomy and authority for regional development.
  • Initially, some regional parties raised separatist demands like Khalistan and Dravidistan.
  • Later, these demands shifted from separatism to greater autonomy within India.
  • Regional parties now participate in mainstream national politics and support coalition governments.
  • The growing role of regional parties has led to the rise of coalition politics in India.
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