Role of Opposition Party in India
Introduction: In India, we have a large number of political parties. There are a few parties which have a definite socio-economic programme to work for. They have chalked out a definite framework of action to pursue the programmes and policies for which they stand. However, there are many parties which do not have any coherent programme or policy to fall back upon. Their purpose is simply to aspire to come to power by hook or crook.
At present, there are many solid political parties in India such as Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P), Congress (I), the Janata Party (Socialist) and the Communist Party.
Official Opposition party refers to the non-ruling party or coalition that has secured the highest number of seats in the Lok Sabha. The status of opposition party is given only when a standalone party secures atleast 10 percent of the seats. In India, for the period of 2009-2014, the official opposition party was Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ruling party for the period of 2014-2019 is BJP. However, there is no opposition party for the period (2014-2019), since not a single party managed to secure atleast 10 percent of the seats.
Leader of the Opposition (India) refers to the political figure who leads the official opposition party. Sushma Swaraj was the leader of the opposition party for the period of 2009-3014. However, this position remains vacant for the period of 2014-2009, since there is no official opposition.
The role of opposition party in India is as important as that of the ruling party. They ensure that the acts of the ruling party are not detrimental to the interest of general public or nation at large.
The opposition ensures that the ruling political parties have a definite programme and policy to offer to the people and who can show a progressive path by action and not just by propaganda.
The role of the opposition party is not to oppose every decision of the ruling party. Rather, it is the duty of the opposition party to support the ruling party for the acts that are in the interest of the nation.
The political parties should work among the people, win their confidence on the strength of their propounded goals. They must build public opinion in their favour by suggesting alternative programmes and policies which could practically take the country forward to the enjoyment of better standards of living.
In this context, there are a few political parties which can aspire to play a constructive role and can hope to come to power with a swing in political education among the masses.
The flaws of election process need to be removed. It needs to be ensured that only the right candidate wins the election. Money plays a great role in elections. There are unscrupulous rich politicians who buy the votes with money, throw temporary advantages to poor people at the time of polls. They make false promises which they know they cannot fulfill. It is, therefore, essential that the role of money power should be entirely eliminated from the electoral process.
They opposition should guide the countrymen to more desirable objectives of socio-economic achievement.
