Fact Check: Did CPI(M) lose its national party status? Details inside

Hyderabad: A video claiming that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has lost its national party status is circulating on social media. According to the video, the party did not get the required number of votes or seats as per the criteria for maintaining national party status. It further claims that now that the CPI(M) has been ousted, only BJP and Congress are the two prime national parties in the country.

Fact Check

The claim that the CPI(M) has lost its national party status is false.

The CPI(M) has come close to losing its national party status quite a few times. According to a report by Economic Times, CPI(M) came close to losing the 'national party' status after it failed to win the minimum seven seats in Tamil Nadu. To maintain a 'national' status a party must have a minimum six per cent votes in the Lok Sabha elections and at least 11 MPs. The CPI(M) did not achieve this in 2014. The party came close to losing its national party status in early 2000, too, before regaining it following the EC's relaxation of the rules. (Read more here)

However, at present, the party still has its national party status. There are no reports or announcements made by officials stating that the CPI(M) has lost its national status recently.

It is also incorrect that there are three national parties in India. According to the Election Commission of India, in 2020, there were eight national parties – the BJP, the Indian National Congress, the Communist Party of India Marxist, the Communist Party of India, the National Congress Party (NCP), the National People's Party, the All India Trinamool Congress, and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Evidently, it is clear that CPI(M) has not lost its national party status.