A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. They agree on some policies and programs for the society with a view to promote the collective good. Political parties are an essential instrument of representative democracy and are needed to raise and highlight issues of the country, shape public opinion, and provide a platform for citizens to participate in the political process. Some key points to understand about political parties are:

• Partisanship: Political parties involve partisanship and are part of society. Fundamental political differences within a society are reflected by the political parties.

• Components: A political party has three components – followers, active members of the party, and leaders.

• Functions: Political parties make programs and policies for people with the aim of promoting collective good for the society. Different parties will try to impress people on how their respective policies are better.

• Number of parties: In a democracy, any group of citizens is free to form a political party. In this formal sense, there are a large number of political parties in each country.

• National and state parties: In India, political parties are classified as national parties and state parties based on their presence and performance in national and state elections.

• Challenges: Political parties face several challenges such as corruption, lack of internal democracy, and regional imbalances.

• Reforms: Measures can be taken to improve the functioning of political parties and make them more accountable and responsive to the needs of the people.

Overall, political parties play a crucial role in shaping the political landscape of a country and are an essential component of a democratic system.