The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has been granted the status of a “recognised state political party” by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The announcement was made by the ECI in an order today.
Out of the 16 candidates it fielded for the recently concluded assembly elections, the nascent VPP clinched four seats.
The All India Trinamool Congress which made its foray into Meghalaya’s political landscape by winning five seats was also named a state recognised party while its national party status was withdrawn.
As per the conditions of the ECI, to be recognised as a state political party, a party has either to secure at least six per cent of the valid votes and win at least two seats in the upcoming Assembly elections or secure at least three per cent of the valid votes or win at least three seats in the Assembly elections.
Other parties granted with the state party status are the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in Nagaland and the Tipra Motha in Tripura. Based on its performance, the NCP is also now a state recognised party in Nagaland and its national party status withdrawn.
Besides the All India Trinamool Congress and NCP, the poll panel also withdrew the national party status of the Communist Party of India (CPI).
Meanwhile, the commission has recognised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a national party. The Commission said the AAP has been named as a national party based on its electoral performance in four states — Delhi, Goa, Punjab and Gujarat.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is in power in Delhi and Punjab.
The BJP, Congress, CPI(M), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People’s Party (NPP) and the AAP are now national parties.
The commission also revoked the state party status granted to RLD in Uttar Pradesh, BRS in Andhra Pradesh, PDA in Manipur, PMK in Puducherry, RSP in West Bengal and MPC in Mizoram.
