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POLITICAL PARTIES

VERY SHORT ASWER TYPE QUESTIONS (1 Mark)

1. Why is one party political system not considered a good democratic

system? [CBSE 2016]
Ans. Because one party system has no democratic option

2. Why did India adopt multi-party system? [CBSE 2016]

Ans. India adopted multi-party system because:
a. India is a large country and has social and geographical diverges.
b. It is easy to absorb different social and geographical diversities in a
multi-party systems.

3. Name the alliance formed by the Congress Party. [CBSE 2016]

Ans. United Progressive Alliance (UPA)

4. Which party was the principal opposition party in Lok Sabha in 2004?
[CBSE 2016] Ans. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

5. Name any one political party that has national level political organization
but not recognized as the national political party. [CBSE 2016]
Ans. Samajwadi Party/Samata Party/Rashtriya Janata Dal.

6. What is meant by „Political Party‟? [CBSE 2015]

Ans. A political party is a group of people come together to contest elections to
hold power in the government.

7. What is the guiding philosophy of Bharatiya Janata Party? [CBSE 2015]

Ans. a. Cultural nationalism
b. India's ancient culture and values

8. What is the requirement laid down by the Election Commission for a

political party to be recognized as a ‟State Party'? [CBSE 2015]
Ans. A party that secures at least six percent of the total votes in an election to
the Legislative Assembly of a state and wins at least two seats is
recognized as a state party.

9. Name any two regional parties of West Bengal. [CBSE 2015]

Ans. Two regional parties of West Bengal are:
a. Marxist Forward Bloc
b. Trinamool Congres
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10. If all the decisions of a political party are made by a single family and all
other members are neglected, then what challenge is being
faced by that party? [CBSE 2015]
Ans. Challenge of dynastic succession.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (3 Marks)

11. What is the role of the opposition party in a democracy? [CBSE (Al) 2017]
OR
Explain three functions of opposition political parties. [CBSE Delhi 2019]
Ans. Those parties that lose elections play the role of opposition to the
parties in power.
The role played by the opposition is:
• It gives its own opinion which may oppose the ruling party.
• The opposition party mobilises opposition to the government.
• It puts its different views in the parliament and criticises the
government for its failures or wrong policies.
• By doing this, it can keep a check on the ruling party, which is made
to move on track.

12. What is meant by a „national political party‟? State the conditions

required to be a national political party. [CBSE 2016]
Ans. National political party have units in the various states, they follow the
same policies, programmes and strategy that is decided at the national
level.
Conditions required:
a. A party that secures at least 6% of the total votes in general
elections of Lok Sabha or assembly elections in four states.
b. Wins at least 4 seats in Lok Sabha.

13. Which three challenges do you feel are being faced by political parties in
India ? Give your Opinion. [CBSE 2016]
Ans. The three challenges faced by political parties in India are:
a. Lack of internal democracy.
b. Challenge of dynastic succession.
c. Growing role of money and muscle power.
d. Often parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters.
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14. What is a multi-party system? Why has India adopted a multi-party
system? Explain. [CBSE 2015]
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Ans. Multi-party system: If several parties compete for power and more than two
parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own
strength or in alliance with others, we call it a multiparty system.
India adopted a Multi-party system because:
a. There is social and geographical diversity in India.
b. India is such a large country which is not easily absorbed by two or three
parties.
c. The system allows a variety of interests and opinions to enjoy political
representation.

15. State the conditions as laid down by the Election Commission to

recognize a „state party 1 and „national party‟. [CBSE 2014]
Ans. The difference between a state and a national party can be identified as follows:
a. In a state party, the party members aim to highlight the regional
interests. On the other hand, a national party gives due importance to
national interests.
b. A state party can contest in elections only in a particular state,
whereas a national party can contest in elections all across the
country.
c. Example: BJP and Congress are national parties, whereas Akali Dal
and Trinamool Congress are state level parties.

16. Name the national political party which espouses secularism and welfare
of weaker sections and minorities. Mention any four features of that party.
[CBSE 2013]
Ans. The national political party which espouses secularism and welfare of
weaker sections and minorities is the Indian National Congress.
Four features of this party are listed below:
a. Founded in 1885.
b. Dominated Indian politics, both at the national and state levels, for
several decades after India‟s independence.
c. Ruling party at the centre till 1977 and then from 1980 to 1989.
After 1989, its support declined.
d. A centrist party (neither rightist nor leftist) in its ideological orientation.

17. The Bahujan Samaj Party stands for what cause? [CBSE 2011]
Ans. Securing the interest of the oppressed people.
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LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (5 Marks)

18. Describe any five major functions of political parties performed in

a democracy. [CBSE 2018]
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Ans. In a democracy political parties performed the following major functions:
1. Parties contest elections: In most democracies, elections are fought
mainly among the candidates put up by political parties. Parties select
their candidates in different ways. In India top party leaders choose
candidates for contesting elections.
2. Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters
choose from them. In a democracy, a large number of similar opinions
have to be grouped together to provide a direction in which policies
can be formulated by the governments. A government is expected to
base its policies on the line taken by the Ruling party.
3. Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country. Formally laws
are debated and passed in the legislature. But since most of the
members belong to a party, they go by the direction of the party
leadership, irrespective of their person opinions.
4. Parties form and run governments. Parties recruit leaders, train them
and then make them ministers to run the government in the way they
want.
5. Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition to
the parties in power by voicing different views and criticising
government for its failure or wrong policies.
6. Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues. Parties
sometimes also launch movements for the resolution ,of problems
faced by people. Often opinions in the society crystallise on the lines
parties take.
7. Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare
schemes implemented by governments.

19. “Political parties are a necessary condition for a democracy." Analyse the
statement with examples. [CBSE 2016]
OR
Why can‟t modern democracies exist without the political parties?
Explain any four reasons. [CBSE II, 2015, 2011]
Ans. “Political parties are a necessary condition for a democracy” because:
1. Without political parties, democracies cannot exist.
2. If we do not have political parties; in such a situation every candidate
in elections will be independent.
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3. No one will be able to make any promises to the people about any
major policy changes.

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4. The government may be formed but its utility will remain uncertain.
5. Elected representatives will be accountable to their constituency for
what they do in their locality.
6. But no one will be responsible for how the country will run.
7. The role of opposition party in a democracy necessitates the existence
of political parties.
8. As societies become large and complex they also need some agencies
to gather different views on various issues and to present these to the
government, that‟s why political parties are needed.

20. Explain any four problem areas in the working of political parties. [CBSE 2012]
Ans. a. Lack of internal democracy: The first challenge is lack of internal
democracy within parties. Concentration of power in one or few leaders
at the top.
b. Dynastic succession: Favour people close to them or even their family
members. In many parties, the top positions are always controlled by
members of one family.
c. Money and muscle power: The third challenge is about growing role of
money and muscle power in parties, especially during elections.
d. Meaningful choice: The fourth challenge is that very often parties do
not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters.