After Gujarat results, AAP to become a ‘national party’ in India.

What is a national party?

• The ECI has laid down the technical criterion for a party to be recognised as a national party. A party may gain or lose national party status from time to time, depending on the fulfilment of these laid-down conditions.

As per the ECI’s Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook, a political party would be considered a national party if:

1. it is ‘recognised’ in four or more states; or
2. if its candidates polled at least 6% of total valid votes in any four or more states in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections and has at least four MPs in the last Lok Sabha polls; or
   if it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from not less than three states.

To be recognised as a state party, a party needs:

1. At least 6% vote-share in the last Assembly election and have at least 2 mlas; or
   have 6% vote-share in the last Lok Sabha elections from that state and at least one MP from that state; or
2. At least 3% of the total number of seats or three seats, whichever is more, in the last Assembly elections; or
3. At least one MP for every 25 members or any fraction allotted to the state in the Lok Sabha; or
4. Have at least 8% of the total valid votes in the last Assembly election or Lok Sabha election from the state.

Where does the AAP fit into this scheme?

• The AAP is in power with big majorities — and very large vote shares — in Delhi and Punjab. And in the Goa Assembly elections held in March, it received 6.77% of the vote.
• This meant that going into the Gujarat-Himachal elections, the party already fulfilled the criteria for recognition as a state party in three states.
• It now required 6% of the vote in the Assembly elections in either Himachal or Gujarat to be recognised in a fourth state — which would qualify it for recognition as a national party.
• While the AAP got only 1% of the vote in Himachal — where it virtually pulled out of the race midway through the campaign — its almost 13% vote in Gujarat is more than double what it required to be recognised as a state party there. That made it four states.

What are the other national parties?

• As of now, the ECI has recognised eight parties as national parties — the BJP, Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI(M), CPI, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP), which was recognised in 2019.
• Once the official results of the Gujarat elections are announced, AAP will become the ninth party to be recognised as a national party.