There are several reasons why political parties are often confused with the pressure groups such as-

♤ Many small political parties resemble pressure groups in that sometimes they may have a narrow issue focus. For example, the British National Party (BNP) is primarily concerned with issues of race and immigration. The Green Party, despite developing wide-ranging manifestos, places greatest emphasis on environmental issues such as pollution, economic sustainability and climate change.

♤ Some pressure groups use elections as a tactical weapon. Any group that puts candidates up for election is technically a party, not a pressure group. But some pressure groups use

elections as a means of gaining publicity and attracting media attention, with little or no expectation of winning the election.

The relationship between the pressure groups and political parties is an interesting one. A pressure group with a close relationship to a political party may work to its advantage. But this can be harmful at times, especially when the opposing party comes to power, as the pressure group’s influence on policy formulation is bound to decrease. National Students Union of India (NSUI) provides future leadership to the Congress while the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) does so for the Bharatiya Janata Party. While some pressure groups are linked to particular political parties, there are many which have no linkages to any political party.