Existence of political parties is regarded as an essential requirement of Democracy. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that one cannot exist without the other. It is clear that we have had experience of not only the working of political parties but also of their effective functioning within the legislatures and outside.The existence of political parties and their free functioning is a barometer of the presence or absence of democracy in a country. In short, political parties are essential for democracy. The presence of political parties indicates a mark of political modernization.If we examine the party system in our country we notice that we have a strong and well-built party system suited to our conditions.

The party system being a part of a larger system is related to social, economic, cultural ,regional and legal life. It is essentially a sub-system of the political framework and provides the motive force for the political machine.

The Congress party is called a party of consensus since it represents diverse  interests and accommodates various interests in its fold. The decisions the party arrived at are such that they accommodate different views and are acceptable to a great majority of its members. Yet at the same time the party within it has interests that are antagonistic to each other. These factions are the parts of the party and are within the party. Though its members are never permanent, still the party feels the pressure of these factions. It does not allow these factions to strain an issue or issues to split the party. All the political parties in the country have expressed their faith and belief in the democratic principle of coming to power only through elections. Such an acceptance of competitive electoral process to seek power not only increases our faith in their democratic character but also strengthens and promotes the democratic structure of society.

   
The Congress party was formed on December 28, 1885 and it celebrated its centenary in 1985. The party, before it became a major political force, passed through four important periods : the age of petition and appeal, the age of constitutional liberalism, the age of uncompromising extremism and the age of non-cooperation before it reached the age of political power. In a way it would be correct to say that the history of the Congress party is the history of the freedom struggle as the Congress was more a national movement than just a political party.

   
The basic unit at the grassroots level is not clearly stated in the party constitution. The committee below the District Congress committee is variously called Block or Constituency or Subordinate Congress or Taluka Congress Committee to be decided by the Pradesh Congress Committee. The basic unit at the grassroots level has remained the old Mandal Congress Committee. Immediately above these is the District congress Committee (DCC). Four of its members are indirectly elected, a few co-opted and the rest are the Congress leaders of the district.

    
The Pradesh Congress Committee is constituted in a similar manner. Each Pradesh Congress Committee is entitled to send one-eighth of its membership to the All India Congress Committee(AICC) by indirect election.The highest and  the most powerful body of the Congreess is the Working Committee consisting of the President of the Congress and Twenty members of whom ten are elected by the AICC and the rest nominated by the President.

      
The Working Committee is represented by top leaders of the Congress party. It is responsible to the AICC.It has  the power to form a new Pradesh Committee or abolish an existing one.It receives the annual reports from the Pradesh Congress Committees.It may even suspend PCC for violation of the party Constitution  or for disobeying the directives.It cantrols the party finances.It sets up sub-committees and a few members constitute the Parliamentary Board. The Central Election Committee is composed of a few members of the CWC and seven mebmers elected by the AICC.

      
The Congress goals are greatly influenced by Gandhian principles and formal adoption of Democracy and Socialism.The party does not have a scientific and clear ideology because of its willingness to compromise and accommodate various interests.

The Communist party of India  is a part of the World Communist Movement .The party existed in the country even during pre-independece days.Though the party has been recognised as a national party its influence is limited to the States of West Bengal,Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. In the World Communist Movement there was ideological schism going on between the Soviet Union and China.This led to a split in the party in1964.The Communist Party of India is ideologically close to the Soviet Union,while the CPI(M) is a follower of the China camp.

      
The party organisation is based on its constitution framed in 1958 at the Amritsar Conference.The Constitution was changed to throw away the militant revolutionary ideology and accept Parliamentary Democracy as the method to achieve the party goals.The party structure, in theory is based on democratic centralism wchich rests on two principles (1)Central leadership based on intra-party democracy, and (2) intra-party democracy based on centralised leadership.Intre-party democracy means freedom to debate within the party to check its action.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) was formed as a result of split in the Communist Party of India in  the year 1964. The split was the result of the increasing schism in the Soviet Union-China relations as well as because of the conflicting evaluations by the communists of the economic and political situations within the country. Further, one group favored support to Nehru's government whereas the other demanded tough opposition to the reactionary Congress. These ideological differences reached a point of no return and finally the dissidents held a separate convention at Tenali in July 1964. Thus they got separated from the Dange Group(CPI) under the leadership of Jyoti Basu, E.M.S. Namboodiripad and others. The communist party of India (M) was formed in 1964. The CPM has established its stronghold in Kerala, West Bengal, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh and Assam, though its influence has been declining over the years.

The history of the socialist parties is one of splits and merges.   The origin of the soclialist party is traced back to the group of socilaist called congress Socialist within the congress party led by Jayapraksash Narayan,M.R.Masani,Ashok Mehta, an d others.The party was formed in 1948 and thereafter the history of the Socialist Parties has been one of splits and mergers as

well as  constant changes in the names  of the party, such as Prajas Socialist party, socialist party, Samyukta Socialist party and again socialist party.  In 1975 Samyukta socialist party and Praja Socialit party merged and formed the socialist party and those who called themselves and lohiaites joined the Bharatheeya lokdal.  The socialist party one of the constituent parties that formed the Janatha Party in 1977. 

There was a constant identity in the organizational set up of the Praja Socialist Party and Samyukta Socialist Party .The National Conferencew was the highest party organ which met once a year. Its function was to elect the Party executive and to lay down the policy and programme for the ensuing year.

     All India Muslim League was formed in 1906 to protect the interests of the Muslim Community in India.Starting with a request for seperate representation in the Legislatures, the League become vocal in its demand for Pakistan under the leadership of M.A.Jinnah.This demand had to be conceded at the time of the Indian Independence and seperate Pakistan was created in 1947.It is continuing to represent Muslims even after independence.