AAP becomes national party, EC recognizes; NCP, TMC and CPI lose status

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Monday granted national party status to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and withdrew the national party status of Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Communist Party of India (CPI).

In an order issued on Monday, the commission also revoked the state-level party status of RLD in Uttar Pradesh, BRS in Andhra Pradesh, PDA in Manipur, PMK in Puducherry, RSP in West Bengal and MPC in Mizoram.

The commission said that AAP has been given national party status based on its electoral performance in four states – Delhi, Goa, Punjab and Gujarat. Party led by Arvind Kejriwal is in power in Delhi and Punjab.

The Election Commission said that the status of NCP, CPI and Trinamool Congress as national political parties is withdrawn. BJP, Congress, Marxist Communist Party (CPI), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People’s Party (NPP) and AAP are now national parties.

The Commission said that NCP and Trinamool Congress will be recognized as state level parties in Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively based on their performance in the recently concluded assembly elections.

With the end of national status, the NCP will now be a state-level political party in Maharashtra, while the CPI will now be a state-level party in Kerala, Manipur and Tamil Nadu.