International Desk: Trinamool has lost the status of a national party in India. The left-wing CPI (Communist Party of India) and Maharashtra leader Sharad Pawar’s NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) have also been stripped of their national party status. On the other hand, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (UP) got national party status. The Election Commission of India informed us of this on Monday, April 10. News of the Anandabazar newspaper
In September 2016, the Trinamool was given the status of a national party by the commission after it was recognized as a state-level party in the states of West Bengal, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur. At that time, Mamata Banerjee’s party was recognized as the ‘Rajya Dal’ of the respective states by getting 6 percent of the votes from four states in the Lok Sabha polls. Mamata Banerjee’s party lost that status within seven years. Regarding the Election Commission’s decision, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, I am not saying anything about it now. The party will look into the matter and give a statement on it.
According to the electoral law, at least one of the three conditions must be fulfilled to become a national party:
One. At least four states must get six percent of the votes in the Lok Sabha.
Two. At least 11 seats (two percent of total seats) must be won from three states in the Lok Sabha, and at least four of the previously won seats must be re-won.
Three. At least four states should win the state party title.
Kejriwal has managed to fulfill this third condition in the Gujarat polls. In order to get the title of state party in a state, it needs to get six percent of the votes and two seats in the assembly elections there. The ruling AAP in Delhi and Punjab also got more than six percent of the votes in the Goa assembly polls last February. Then in December, they fulfilled that condition in Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat with its assembly elections.
The loss of national party status in India may cut off several privileges for the Trinamool. For example,
First, a national party symbol cannot be used by any other party in any other state of the country. Apart from West Bengal and Meghalaya, there is doubt as to whether the ‘protection’ of Mamata Joraphool will remain.
Second, national parties get land or houses from the government to set up party offices, while other parties do not.
Third, the national party can use a maximum of 40 ‘star campaigners’ during elections. Whereas in the case of other teams, the limit is 20.
