Aam Aadmi Party becomes national party, stripped of status from NCP, TMC and CPI

In an important decision taken by the Election Commission on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party was given the status of a national party. At the same time, the national party status of NCP, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India was withdrawn. While this decision is being considered as a big leap for Aam Aadmi Party, NCP, TMC and CPI will now remain as regional parties. The commission said that the Aam Aadmi Party has been declared a national party on the basis of its electoral performance in four states of Delhi, Goa, Punjab and Gujarat. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is in power in Delhi and Punjab.

Thus BJP, Congress, CPI (M), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People’s Party (NPP) and AAP are now national parties. In an order issued on Monday, the commission also canceled the state party status granted to RLD in Uttar Pradesh, BRS in Andhra Pradesh, PDA in Manipur, PMK in Puducherry, RSP in West Bengal and MPC in Mizoram. The Election Commission said that the national political party status of NCP, CPI and Trinamool Congress will be withdrawn.

The commission said that the NCP and the Trinamool Congress would be recognized as state parties in Nagaland and Meghalaya, respectively, on the basis of their performance in the recently concluded assembly elections. In addition, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in Nagaland, Voice of the People’s Party in Meghalaya and Tipra Motha in Tripura have been given the status of ‘recognised state political parties’.