Fact Sheet: Political Parties – 6 National Parties

ECI Criteria: A party is recognized as a National Party if –

• Recognized in 4+ states as a State Party, or
• Polled at least 6% valid votes in any 4 states in last Lok Sabha/Assembly elections & won 4+ LS seats, or
• Won at least 2% of total LS seats from 3+ states

Indian National Congress (INC)

Founded: 1885

Founder: A. O. Hume

Leaders: Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi

Interesting Facts: Dominated 1951–67, Split in 1969 (Congress O & R), Gave birth to NCP, TMC, YSRCP, etc.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Founded: 1980

Founders: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L. K. Advani

Leaders: Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh

Interesting Facts: Successor of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (1951, Syama Prasad Mukherjee)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)

Founded: 2012

Leader: Arvind Kejriwal

Leaders: Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh

Interesting Facts: Emerged from 2011 Anti-Corruption (Anna Hazare) Movement

Communist Party of India (Marxist) – CPI(M)

Founded: 1964

Leaders: Sitaram Yechury, Prakash Karat, Pinarayi Vijayan

Interesting Facts: Split from CPI after Indo-China war (1962)

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)

Founded: 1984

Founder: Kanshi Ram

Leader: Mayawati

Symbol: Elephant

National People's Party (NPP)

Founded: 2013

Founder: P. A. Sangma

Leader: Conrad Sangma

Symbol: Book