Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Political parties in India - statistics and facts
Touted as one of the largest democracies in the world, India is also home to some of the largest political parties in the world. Although a multi-party system, over 50 years of India’s electoral history were dominated by the Indian National Congress (INC), the oldest political party in the country, which once led India’s anti-imperialist struggle. Post-1967, the rise of opposition against Congress in various states resulted in the polarization of state party systems; however, Congress still thrived nationally. Decades of dominance at the national level by the Congress were followed by an era of coalition politics between 1989 and 2014 when no single party earned a parliamentary majority on its own. However, in 2014, the right-wing nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) claimed the first single-party majority in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, followed by a consecutive victory in 2019. The BJP-led NDA alliance also won the next general election in 2024.
The Gandhi family is popularly known to dominate the helm of affairs in the INC, starting with Indira Gandhi in the sixties to the present-day support for Rahul Gandhi, her grandson. On the other hand, positioning themselves over dynastic politics, the sweeping electoral victories for the BJP post-2014 are popularly attributed to Narendra Modi’s leadership, evident in election campaign slogans like “Abki baar Modi sarkar” or “This time Modi government”. A similar allure around individual leadership can be seen among regional parties such as the Samajwadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the India National Lok Dal, and others.
Nearly half of Indians live in only five states: UP, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh, making these states crucial players in national elections. In a prelude to 2024 elections, around 26 opposition parties unified to create an alliance named the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to challenge the incumbent BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The BJP-led NDA coalition, however, gained majority in the general elections of 2024 and are set for a third consecutive term in office.
Ideology, identity, and icons
The Indian political party system is characterized by various ideological and social crosscurrents and an adherence to charismatic leadership. ‘Vote-bank politics,' or political appeals made to voters from a certain group or community, are used by political parties across the spectrum, usually with polarizing effects on society. Political agendas focused on majoritarianism, caste-based issues, and regional affiliations are recurring in Indian politics, but especially around elections. In addition to identity politics, Indian political parties also rally around charismatic leadership.The Gandhi family is popularly known to dominate the helm of affairs in the INC, starting with Indira Gandhi in the sixties to the present-day support for Rahul Gandhi, her grandson. On the other hand, positioning themselves over dynastic politics, the sweeping electoral victories for the BJP post-2014 are popularly attributed to Narendra Modi’s leadership, evident in election campaign slogans like “Abki baar Modi sarkar” or “This time Modi government”. A similar allure around individual leadership can be seen among regional parties such as the Samajwadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the India National Lok Dal, and others.
Regional representation
Given the country’s diverse population, political parties that identify with cultural, religious, linguistic, or ethnic groups have sprung up with a limited electoral base. The number of regional political parties contesting elections has risen exponentially over the years, resulting in shrinking margins of victory in parliamentary elections. In the past, a high number of regional parties often led to the fragmentation of seats in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, ending in the formation of unstable coalition governments, as evident during the 1990s. Despite this, they form a crucial part of Indian democracy that keeps the spirit of federalism alive by representing the voices of India’s regions and peoples.Nearly half of Indians live in only five states: UP, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh, making these states crucial players in national elections. In a prelude to 2024 elections, around 26 opposition parties unified to create an alliance named the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to challenge the incumbent BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The BJP-led NDA coalition, however, gained majority in the general elections of 2024 and are set for a third consecutive term in office.
