Explained: Why did TMC, NCP, CPI lose national party status?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has stripped the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of their 'national party' status, while granting the coveted tag to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The EC, in an order issued on Monday, also revoked the State party status granted to Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Uttar Pradesh, Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) in Andhra Pradesh, People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) in Manipur, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) in Puducherry, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) in West Bengal and Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) in Mizoram.

'National party' tag & its benefits

A political party needs to fulfil three conditions set by the Election Commission to be called a national party. According to the rules, a party's candidates in a minimum of four States must get at least 6 per cent of the total votes polled in each of those States in the last national election.

To get national party tag, a party should win a minimum of 2 per cent of the total seats in the Lok Sabha and recognised as a "State party" in at least four States.

A national party tag allows an organisation to get a common poll symbol across the country, more star campaigners, free air time on national broadcasters for election campaigns and convention office space in Delhi.

There were seven national parties - TMC, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), BJP, CPI, CPI (Marxist), Indian National Congress and NCP till now.

Why did TMC, NCP, CPI lose national status?

The TMC was formed on January 1, 1998, after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee left Congress to form her own political party. After two unsuccessful attempts in 2001 and 2006, the party came to power by defeating the Left Front in 2011, riding the crest of massive public outrage against the communists. The party received the national party tag in 2016, but its dismal show in Goa and some Northeastern States has led to the withdrawal of the status.

The NCP was formed by Sharad Pawar, another former Congress leader, in 1999 and became a national party in 2000 following its success in various elections. The NCP lost its State party status in Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya, compelling the EC to downgrade it.

The CPI, founded in 1925, was recognised as a national party in 1989 but the tag was withdrawn following its dismal performance in West Bengal and Odisha elections.

With EC crackdown on NCP, Trinamool and CPI and the addition of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's AAP to the list, the country has five national parties as of now.