As per the ECI’s Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook, a political party would be considered a national party if:
- It is ‘recognised’ in four or more states; or
- If its candidates have secured at least 6% of total valid votes in at least 4 states (in latest Lok Sabha or Assembly elections) and the party has at least 4 MPs in the last LS polls; or
- If it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the LS from at least 3 states.
Benefits of recognised as a National/State Party:
- Provision of time for political broadcasts on the state-owned television, Radio stations.
- Star campaigners: These parties are allowed to have 40 “star campaigners” during the time of elections
- Exclusive symbols: Every national party is allotted a symbol exclusively reserved for its use throughout the country.
- Government Land Allocation: A party with the ‘national’ status gets land from the government to build its headquarters.
- Single Proposer: National parties need to have just one proposer to submit a nomination.
- Access to electoral rolls : They are given two free sets of electoral rolls during the roll revision. They also get one free electoral roll for each candidate during general elections.
In multilingual India, language plays a pivotal role in shaping regional identities and mobilizing political support, influencing both policy and power dynamics.
Role in Political Mobilization:
- Linguistic Reorganization of States (1956): Result of popular agitations demanding states based on language (e.g., Andhra for Telugu speakers).
- Electoral Mobilization: Political parties often use regional languages to build strong voter bases (e.g., DMK in Tamil Nadu).
- Language-based Movements: Movements like Gorkhaland, Kokborok demand reflect linguistic assertion tied to political claims.
- Resistance to Hindi Imposition: Anti-Hindi agitations (esp. in Tamil Nadu) became political rallying points against perceived central dominance.
- Regional Political Parties: Many emerged from linguistic roots (e.g., Shiv Sena for Marathi identity), using language to consolidate regional power.
Role in Regional Identity Formation:
- Cultural Assertion: Language fosters pride and cultural distinctiveness (e.g., Kannada, Marathi, Bengali).
- Media & Literature: Regional literature, films, and press strengthen linguistic consciousness.
- Policy & Education: States promote regional languages in education and governance, reinforcing identity.
- Festivals & Heritage: Language-linked festivals (e.g., Kavi Sammelan, Sahitya Sammelan) promote cultural unity and pride.
- Official Language Status: Granting official status to regional languages reinforces administrative identity and autonomy.
It refers to a political arrangement where multiple parties collaborate to form a government when no single party secures a clear majority in the legislature.
Evolution Timeline:
- Early Dominance of Congress (1950s-1960s)-
- The Congress Party dominated under Nehru, winning absolute majorities.
- Opposition was fragmented, limiting coalition possibilities.
- Emergence of Coalition Experiments (1967-1989)-
- 1967 Elections: First major opposition coalitions (e.g., Samyukta Vidhayak Dal governments) in states.
- 1977-79: Janata Party—India’s first national coalition—defeated Congress post-Emergency but collapsed due to infighting.
- Era of Mandal & Mandir Politics (1989-1999)-
- 1989: National Front (V.P. Singh) formed with BJP & Left support—beginning of post-Congress coalitions.
- 1996-98: United Front governments (Deve Gowda, I.K. Gujral) relied on Congress/BJP support.
- 1998-99: BJP-led NDA emerged as a stable coalition under Vajpayee.
- Institutionalization of Coalitions (2004-2014)
- UPA (2004-2014): Congress-led coalition with regional parties (DMK, NCP, TMC) and Left support.
- NDA (2014-Present): BJP-dominated but still dependent on allies (Shiv Sena, JD(U), TDP).
- Return to Single-Party Majority and Recent Developments (2014–2024)
- The BJP’s outright majority in 2014 and 2019 marked a temporary shift away from coalitions at the Centre, with a more centralized form of governance.
- Despite this, coalition politics remained important at the state level and in the Rajya Sabha.
- The 2024 general elections saw the BJP fall short of a majority, necessitating a return to coalition government with NDA allies, signaling a possible new era of coalition politics.
