The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday accorded national party status to Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and withdrew the national party status of the All India Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI)
The Commission on Monday said that AAP has been named as a national party based on its electoral performance in four states namely Delhi, Goa, Punjab and Gujarat
AAP was formed by Arvind Kejriwal in 2012 and went on to sweep the Delhi Assembly elections in 2015 and Punjab in 2022. The BJP, Congress, CPI(M), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People’s Party (NPP) and the AAP are now national parties in the country
For a political party to be recognised as a national party, it must fulfill any one of the three conditions listed by the Election Commission of India
The party must secure at least 6 per cent of the total valid votes polled in at least four states in a Lok Sabha or State Assembly election. In addition, it should have won four seats in the Lok Sabha
In case the above criteria don't get fulfilled, a party should have won at least 2 per cent of the total seats in the Lok Sabha. The party's candidates should have been elected from not less than three states
Another condition for a party to become a national party is that it must be recognised as a state party in at least four states
A national party tag allows an organisation to get a common poll symbol across the country, more star campaigners, free air time on national broadcasters for election campaigns and by convention office space in Delhi
"National party in such a short time? This is nothing less than a miracle. Many congratulations to all. Crores of people from the country have taken us here. People expect a lot from us. Today people have given us this huge responsibility. Lord, bless us to fulfil this responsibility well," AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said