The Election Commission on Monday recognised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a national party and withdrew the national party status of the All India Trinamul Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI).
In an order issued on Monday, 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.
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The poll panel said that the status of NCP, CPI and the Trinamul Congress as national political parties would be withdrawn.
The BJP, Congress, CPI(M), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People's Party (NPP) and the AAP are now national parties.
The Commission said that NCP and Trinamul Congress will be recognised as state parties in Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively based on their performance in the recently concluded assembly elections.
It also granted "recognised state political party" status to the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in Nagaland, Voice of the People Party in Meghalaya and the Tipra Motha in Tripura.
Arvind Kejriwal termed the development a "huge responsibility" and "nothing less than a miracle" as the AAP achieved the national party status in record time.
"National party in such a short time? This is nothing less than a miracle. Many congratulations to all. Crores of people of the country have taken us here. People expect a lot from us. Today people have given us this huge responsibility. Lord, bless us to fulfill this responsibility well," Mr Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
For a political party to be recognised as a national party, it has to be a recognised state party in four or more states (or) 2% seats in Lok Sabha, say rules.
Once a party loses a national party status, the party will not get common symbol for its candidates in states where it's not recognised.
