CLASSIFICATION OF REGIONAL PARTIES‌

The various regional parties in India can be classified into the following four categories:

1. Those regional parties which are based on the regional culture or ethnicity. These include Shiromani Akali Dal, National Conference, DMK, AIADMK, Telugu Desam, Shiv Sena, Asom Gana Parishad, Mizo National Front, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and so on.

2. Those regional parties which have an all-India outlook but lack a national electoral base. The examples are Indian National Lok Dal, All-India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Samajwadi Party, Nationalist Congress Party and so on.

3. Those regional parties which have been formed by a split in national parties. For example, Bangla Congress, Bharatiya Kranti Dal, Utkal Congress, Kerala Congress, Telangana Praja Samithi, Biju Janata Dal, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Party, Samajwadi Janata Party, Samata Party, Trinamool Congress, YSR Congress and so on.

4. Those regional parties which have been formed by individual leaders on the basis of their charismatic personality. These are called as personalised parties and they are short-lived. The examples are Lok Janshakti Party, Haryana Vikas Party, Himachal Vikas Congress, Congress (J) and so on.