The Political parties of Punjab are classified into two types: National Parties and State Parties. National parties are political parties which, participate in the electoral polls all over India like Indian National Congress, Bhartiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India, Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) etc. The National Parties have a strong presence on the political scenario of Punjab. State parties or regional parties take part in the various polls but only in one state. Some State parties are Shiv Sena present in Maharashtra, Telegu Desam in Andhra Pradesh, Akali Dal in Punjab, Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) in Tamil Nadu etc.
The list of National Parties in Punjab are as follows:
- Communist Party of India
On December 26, 1925, Communist Party of India was formed by a handful of young patriots. It differs from the CPM on ideologies and has made a strong presence in the states of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura.
- Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] was established after splitting from the Communist Party of India in 1964 . The Party follows the philosophies and ideologies of Marxism-Leninism.
- Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress commonly known as the Congress Party. In India, Indian National Congress is the oldest and the largest political party. It was founded in 1885 and it played a vital role in the Indian struggle of independence. Great leaders like Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Rajiv Gandhi etc. have been associated with the party.
