A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. According to the NCERT Class 10 Political Science textbook (Democratic Politics II), every political party has three essential components: leaders, active members, and followers (supporters).
Three components of a political party: leaders, active members, followers/supporters.
Leaders contest elections and hold government positions.
Active members (party cadre) run campaigns, organise events, mobilise voters.
Followers are the largest group — they vote and support the party.
India has a multi-party system.
Functions of parties: contest elections, make laws, form government, act as opposition, shape public opinion.
National party status is awarded by the Election Commission of India.
As per NCERT Class 10 Political Science (Chapter: Political Parties):
Leaders • The visible face of the party • They contest elections, hold positions in government, and make policy decisions • They represent the party in public debates, parliament, and the media • Examples: Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, party presidents • Leaders are elected or chosen within the party hierarchy
Active Members • The backbone of the party • They work for the party during elections and between elections • They attend party meetings, organise campaigns, distribute pamphlets, mobilise voters, and recruit new members • Active members are not the same as leaders — they work in the background • Also called 'party workers' or 'party cadre'
Followers / Supporters • The largest group • They vote for the party and support it, but are not directly involved in daily party activities • They may or may not be formal party members • Their support is crucial for electoral success • Followers can also be called sympathisers
A Political Party Must: • Contest elections (candidates from the party) • Have policies and programmes (ideology) • Seek to implement its policies by winning government
Functions of Political Parties (NCERT):
Types of Party Systems: • One-party system: Only one party allowed (e.g., China — Communist Party) • Two-party system: Two major parties dominate (e.g., USA — Democrats and Republicans) • Multi-party system: Several parties compete (e.g., India — INC, BJP, regional parties)
India's Party System: • India has a multi-party system • Two main national parties: Indian National Congress (INC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) • Several state-level/regional parties: TMC, SP, BSP, AIADMK, DMK, TDP, etc. • National party status: awarded by Election Commission based on votes and seats
The three components of a political party (as per NCERT Class 10) are: (1) Leaders — who contest elections, hold positions, and represent the party publicly; (2) Active members — the party cadre who organise campaigns, attend meetings, and mobilise voters; (3) Followers/Supporters — the largest group who vote for the party and support it but are not involved in daily activities.
Political parties: contest elections by putting up candidates; present policies and programmes; make laws in parliament; form and run the government when in majority; act as opposition when not in power; shape public opinion; and help citizens access government services. In India, parties also provide political stability through coalition-building.
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