Define the term “Political Party”. Explain with examples, the need of political parties in India.
A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. They agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promoting the collective good.
Political parties fill political offices and exercise political power. Parties do so by performing a series of functions:
- Parties contest elections. In most democracies, elections are fought among candidates put up by political parties.
- Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters choose from them.
- Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country.
- Parties form and run governments.
- Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition by voicing different views and criticising the government for its failures or wrong policies.
- Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues.
- Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments.