HPAS/Allied Mains 2022 Answer Writing Challenge Day 118 : Model Answer

Question 

What is the importance of political parties in Himachal Pradesh? Throw light on various political parties established after the formation of Himachal Pradesh.

Answer: 

In most democracies, political parties are important institutions that link citizens to their government. A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. They agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote the collective good. Since there can be different views on what is good for all, parties try to persuade people why their policies are better than others. They seek to implement these policies by winning popular support through elections.

Functions of Political Parties:

• Political Parties Contest Flections: Elections are fought mainly among the candidates put up by political parties. Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters choose from them.
  Parties Make Laws: Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country. Laws are debated and passed in the Legislature.
  Parties Form and Run Governments: The big policy decisions are taken by political executive that comes from political parties.
  Role of Opposition: 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 failures.
  Parties Shape Public Opinions: They raise and highlight issues. Sometimes they launch movements for the resolution of problems faced by people. Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments. For an ordinary citizen, it is very easy to approach a local party leader than the government officers.

Important Political parties:

• INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (INC): The Himachal Pradesh state congress was founded in 1948, with the conversion of Praja Mandals into Congress Committees and since due the stronghold of the Praja Mandals in the Simla hills the party still dominates the political scenario in these areas even today.
• BHARTIYA JAN SANGH: Before 1977, there was Bhartiya Jan Sangh a main Political Party after Indian National Congress. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was the leader of the Hindu Sabha, who is considered as the founder of this political party. Most senior leaders of this political organisation were the members of Rashtriya Swaim Sewak Sangh (or the RSS). In 1977, it was merged to form “Janata Party”.
• BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY (BJP): BJP was formed in 1980. BJP emerged as a big political party in Himachal Pradesh inn Legislative Assembly elections of 1982. In these elections, BJP had won 29 seats. In 1985 Legislative Assembly elections, BJP was reduced to seven seats. (because of Indira Gandhi assassination).
• THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (CPI, CPM): The CPI(M) combines the fine heritage of the anti-imperialist struggle and the revolutionary legacy of the undivided Communist Party of India which was founded in 1925. Over the years, the party has emerged as the foremost Left force in the country. The CPI(M) has grown steadily since its formation in 1964. In Himachal Pradesh CPI won only two seats in 1967 (Sh. Bansi Ram and Paras Ram from Baijnath and Jaswan respectively were the candidates), one candidate in 1990 and one in 1993 i.e. K.K. Kaushal and Rakesh Singha from Kotkehloor and Shimla Urban Constituency respectively won the seats later.
• HIMACHAL VIKAS CONGRESS, HVC (HIMALAYAN DEVELOPMENT CONGRESS): HVC was formed when Sukh Ram and Anil Sharma split from the Indian National Congress after were expelled from the Congress party.
• HIMACHAL KRANTI PARTY (HKP) OR HIMALAYAN REVOLUTION PARTY : It was formed after the 1998 state assembly elections, when two Himachal Vikas Congress members of the assembly, Mansa Ram and Prakash Chaudhary, split to form HKP. HKP merged with Bharatiya Janata Party in 1999.
• HIMACHAL LOKHIT PARTY: The party was formed by few rebel political leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party just ahead of 2012 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Election. This party was formed by Maheswar Singh of Kullu.
• LOK RAJ PARTY HP: It was formed in 1971 by Thakur Sen Negi, In 1972 elections, it has won two seats.
• HIMACHAL SWABHIMAN PARTY: The party was founded by BJP ideologue, Govindacharya on 10 August 2011. The party was formed just ahead of Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections 2012.