1. How do political parties shape public opinion? Explain with three examples.
i. Political parties shape public opinion by creating and promoting their own platforms and policies. This can be done through speeches, debates, and media coverage. For example, the Democratic Party has long been associated with progressive policies such as universal healthcare, while the Republican Party has traditionally favored more conservative policies such as lower taxes and smaller government.
ii. Political parties also shape public opinion by framing issues in a certain way. For example, the Democratic Party has framed the issue of gun control as a matter of public safety, while the Republican Party has framed it as a matter of protecting Second Amendment rights.
iii. Political parties also shape public opinion by mobilizing their supporters to take action. This can include rallies, door-to-door canvassing, and social media campaigns. For example, the Democratic Party has organized rallies to protest the Trump administration’s immigration policies, while the Republican Party has organized rallies to support the president’s agenda.

2. Name the national political party which gets inspiration from India’s ancient culture and values. Mention four features of that party.
The national political party which gets inspiration from India’s ancient culture and values is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Features of the BJP:
i. It is a right-wing, Hindu nationalist party.
ii. It is the largest political party in India and the world’s largest party in terms of primary membership.
iii. It advocates social conservatism and a foreign policy centred on nationalist principles.
iv. It promotes the idea of Hindutva, which seeks to define Indian culture in terms of Hindu values.

3. Name the national political party which espouses secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities. Mention any four features of that party.
The Indian National Congress (INC) is the national political party which espouses secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities.
Features of INC:
i. It is the oldest political party in India and has been in power for most of the years since India’s independence.
ii. It is a centrist party which stands for social justice, secularism, and economic reforms.
iii. It is a member of the Socialist International, a worldwide organization of social democratic, socialist and labour parties.
iv. It has a strong grassroots presence in the country and is known for its commitment to the welfare of the weaker sections of society.

4. Name the national political party which draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj. Mention any four features of that party.
The national political party which draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj is the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Four features of the BSP are:
i. It is a party that seeks to represent the interests of the Bahujan Samaj, which includes the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
ii. It advocates for the empowerment of the marginalized and oppressed sections of society.
iii. It seeks to create a society based on the principles of social justice, equality and fraternity.
iv. It is committed to the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden sections of society.

5. What is meant by a political party? Describe the three components of a political party.
A political party is an organized group of people who have the same ideology, or set of beliefs, and who come together to contest elections and hold power in government.
The three components of a political party are the party organization, the party platform, and the party base.
i. The party organization is the formal structure of the party, including its leadership, committees, and other internal structures.
ii. The party platform is the set of policies and positions that the party advocates for and promotes.
iii. The party base is the group of people who support the party and its candidates, including members, donors, and voters.

6. State the conditions laid down by the Election Commission to recognise a state party and a national party.
State Party:
1. The party must be registered with the Election Commission of India.
2. The party must have a presence in at least four states.
3. The party must have won at least one seat in the Legislative Assembly of any of the four states.
National Party:
i. The party must be registered with the Election Commission of India.
ii. The party must have a presence in at least four states.
iii. The party must have won at least two percent of the total seats in the Legislative Assembly of any of the four states or must have won at least one seat in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament) from any of the four states.

7. Name the six national political parties of India in chronological order.
i. Indian National Congress (INC)
ii. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
iii. Communist Party of India (CPI)
iv. Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM)
v. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
vi. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)

8. Name any three national political parties along with their symbols.
i. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – Lotus
ii. Indian National Congress (INC) – Hand
iii. Communist Party of India (CPI) – Ear of Corn and Sickle

9. Name any six regional political parties of the four southern states of India.
i. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) – Tamil Nadu.
ii. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) – Tamil Nadu.
iii. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) – Telangana.
iv. YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) – Andhra Pradesh.
v. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) – Andhra Pradesh.
vi. Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) – Karnataka.

10. Name the regional political parties predominant in Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand respectively with their symbols.
i. Punjab: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (Symbol: Scales)
ii. Haryana: Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) (Symbol: Bow and Arrow)
iii. Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) (Symbol: Key)

11. Name the regional political parties predominant in Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Orissa, respectively with their symbols.
i. Jharkhand: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) – Bow and Arrow
ii. Maharashtra: Shiv Sena – Bow and Arrow
iii. Orissa: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) – Conch Shell