Political parties are groups that contest elections and seek to hold power in government. They promote collective policies and try to convince voters that their policies are better. National parties operate across India, while regional parties focus on a particular state. Major national parties in India are the Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Bahujan Samaj Party. These parties have different ideological orientations ranging from centrism to cultural nationalism to Marxism. Political parties face challenges like a lack of internal democracy, dynastic control, money influence, and lack of meaningful choice for voters. Reforms proposed include state funding of elections, curbing misuse of official resources, and improving voter