Aam Aadmi Party’s astounding victory in Punjab stealing the thunder Bharatiya Janata Party winning all the remaining four states has created a space for further speculation in the changing political spectrum in India.
There are multiple reasons behind it, the margin of the victory for AAP was unforeseen. The political analyst predicted a tough battle between the Congress party and AAP. But the former got usurped out of the state.
Another reason is the reasonably new political party is closer to attaining the status of a ‘national party’. As per the data obtained from the Election Commission of India, only seven political parties have achieved the status and that includes Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party, Bahujan Samaj Party
Hurdles for becoming a national party
According to the rules, a party has to fulfil certain criteria to become a national. It has to win 2% of seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different states. Another way of attaining the status is if the party gets recognition as a state party in four states.
Basically, the party, at a general election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, has to poll 6% of votes in any four or more states and in addition, it wins four Lok Sabha seats, to become a national party.
The benefits that come with being a national party includes its unique symbol to fight all elections, being eligible for a party office in Delhi. The party is also entitled to two sets of electoral rolls free of cost at the time of revision of rolls, and their candidates get one copy of the electoral roll free of cost during general elections.
Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party has got a 54% vote share in the last Delhi assembly elections. It currently has a 42% vote share in Punjab and a 6.77% vote share in Goa. In Uttarakhand, AAP so far has a 3.4% vote share and just 0.3% in Uttar Pradesh. AAP’s CM face in Punjab Bhagwant Mann is the only Member of Parliament it has in the Lok Sabha.
The next state Aap has its eyes on is Gujarat. The next chance to obtain the status of a national party is in December when Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will go for elections. AAP’s next chance to gain the status of a national party might come as early as December this year when Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh go for polls.
AAP has only inched a step closer with a magnanimous victory indicating that it will be staying for a longer run and has the potential to emerge as an alternative India wants for upholding the democratic values of the country.
Also Checkout: Dynamics that helped the Aam Aadmi Party form a government in Punjab
