Write a short note on State Parties

Political parties whose influence is limited to less than three states can be classified as regional political parties. Most of the regional political parties function in one or two states and represent the political interests of their states. Other types of regional parties are those with an all-India perspective but with only a regional presence. The Rashtriya Janata Dal, Telugu Desam Party and Trinamool Congress are examples of regional parties.

On the other hand, national parties have a larger base among people and their reach encompasses most of the country. These parties have a national agenda and outlook which is reflected in their manifesto. They have more workers and often compete for power at regional as well as national level amongst themselves. To be recognised as a national party, a party has to secure 4 percent of the total votes cast in at least 4 different states. The Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are examples of national parties.