Anil Anand
In the aftermath of 2014 Lok Sabha elections and subsequent Assembly polls the graph of India’s political scenario threatens to undergo a massive change. This is not in terms ideological shift or the existing alliances undergoing transformation of character but on account of status of the political parties mostly the national ones shedding their current standing or the regional ones acquiring the national status.
The issue is already under serious consideration of the Election Commission of India ever since the results of the last Lok Sabha were declared. And the need for change in characterisation of the political parties became further imperative after results to Assembly elections in West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were declared.
The characterisation of the political parties (read national) depends on their performance mainly in Lok Sabha and to some extent in Assembly elections also. The strong Narendra Modi wave and some of the regional satraps showing their might at the hustings have resulted in at least three national political parties on the verge of losing their character and a fourth one under the radar. In similar terms at least two regional parties are knocking at the possibility of becoming national outfits.
The Lok Sabha elections saw virtual decimation of three national political parties namely Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), pushing them to the throes of losing their national character. The subsequent Assembly elections in West Bengal have also put a question mark on the similar character of Communist Party of India (Marxist). The party’s poor performance in the state during the Assembly polls and in Lok Sabha elections both in West Bengal and Kerala can result in it being divested of the national party tag.
The CPI, NCP and BSP were served notices by the Election Commission in May-June 2014 following which the parties have put forth their points of view but a final decision is still awaited. On this inordinate delay a senior Election Commission officer told the Day After that these political parties had sought more time for further explaining their stand and that was granted. “It is expected that a final hearing would be held by the end of this (July) month to wrap up the issue,” he added.
At present India have six political parties with national stature. If CPI, NCP and BSP lose their current tag, the number would be reduced to three.
However the number might further go down as CPM’s bad performance both in Lok Sabha and more so in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, has put the party under the EC’s scrutiny though the formal process has not been started yet. The party would have escaped the ignominy of being shorn of its national status had it won minimum six per cent votes in the Lok Sabha elections and have at least 11 MPs or win one out of every 30 Assembly seats in the subsequent four state Assembly elections. But it faltered on both occasions. It would be the second time around that the CPM would lose its national tag, if it happens, as earlier it took place in 2009 but the party later come out of it following relaxation of rules by the Election Commission.
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP recorded a vote percentage of less than 6 per cent in four or more states in Lok Sabha. Besides Maharashtra, NCP has representation in assembly of Gujarat (2), Uttar Pradesh (1), Manipur (1), Meghalaya (2) and Nagaland (4). A senior NCP leader said that the party has replied to the show-cause notice and expect the EC to give an opportunity for clearing the party’s stand.
The BSP though secured 20 per cent votes in UP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections but it lost all seats. Its vote share in other states is less than four per cent in other states.
While the BSP bagged a 4.1% vote share — the third highest after the BJP and the Congress — it failed to secure a single Lok Sabha seat. The NCP, with a vote share of 1.6%, won six Lok Sabha seats. With a 0.8% vote share, the CPI managed to win one seat in the 2014 polls.
The three parties if divested of national stature would lose their monopoly over symbols—elephant for BSP and a clock for NCP. They would also lose the benefit of dedicated broadcast slots on Doordarshan and AIR during general elections and also privilege to use a maximum number of 40 star campaigners as against entitled of only 20 to unrecognised parties.
There are at least two regional parties which could dream of attaining the national status in near future. The All India Trinmool Congress of Mamta Banerjee, mainly West Bengal centric, and All India Anna Dravid Munetra Kazgham based in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry did exceedingly well both In Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
A party can get a national status if it secures at least 2 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha ( 11 seats) from at least three different states in the latest general elections and it must poll minimum six per cent of the total valid votes in at least four states, in addition to winning four Lok Sabha seats; this criteria could be achieved either in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections. A party can also get a national status if it is recognised as a state party in at least four states.
There still is a window of opportunity for these parties to retain their national status. If the reports emanating out of the Election Commission are any indication, the panel is not averse to change the existing criteria for retention of national party tag. The one change being mulled over is to opt for reviews every two polls instead of the prevailing five-year time frame.
“In view of the revolving-door electoral politics in many states, it may be unfair to review a party’s national status every five years. Rather, this could be done if the party fails to fulfil the criteria over two consecutive polls,” an EC source said.
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