Question

Consider the following statements about political parties in India:

1. The Indian National Congress, founded in 1885, uses the symbol of a hand.

2. A political party can be recognized as a national party if it is recognized as a state party in four states.

3. The Communist Party of India (CPI) split in 1964 due to ideological differences between the Soviet Union and China.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

Answer:

D. All of the above

Indian National Congress (INC)

• The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885, in Bombay by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant.
• Its first president was Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee.
• The current election symbol of the Indian National Congress is the 'Hand' (Hath), which was adopted in 1978.
• Historically, the INC has used other symbols, including a 'Pair of Bullocks with Yoke' and 'Cow and Calf' before settling on the hand symbol.

National Party Recognition Criteria in India

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for recognizing political parties as national or state parties.
• One of the criteria for a political party to be recognized as a national party is that it must be recognized as a state party in at least four states.
• Other criteria for national party status include:
  • Securing at least 6% of the valid votes polled in any four or more states in a Lok Sabha or Assembly election, AND winning at least 4 Lok Sabha seats from any state or states.
  • Winning at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha (currently 11 seats) from at least three different states.
• Benefits of national party status include an exclusive election symbol across the country, free broadcast/telecast facilities on state-owned media, and the ability to nominate up to 40 'star campaigners' during elections.

Communist Party of India (CPI) Split

• The Communist Party of India (CPI) was founded on December 26, 1925, in Kanpur.
• The CPI experienced a significant split in 1964, leading to the formation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), commonly known as CPI(M).
• The primary reason for this split was profound ideological differences, largely influenced by the growing Sino-Soviet split (the ideological rift between the Soviet Union and China).
• The CPI generally aligned with the Soviet Union's ideological stance, while the CPI(M) adopted a more pro-China, revolutionary position.
• Internal political dynamics in India, particularly disagreements on the party's approach to the Indian government and the Sino-Indian War of 1962, also contributed to the schism.
• Key figures like E.M.S. Namboodiripad and Jyoti Basu were among the leaders who formed the CPI(M).