NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday withdrew the national party status of CPI, NCP and Trinamool Congress. Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party (AAP) was given a national party status.

AAP’s recognition as a national party comes just as the parliamentary elections were approaching. As part of expanding its presence outside Delhi, AAP recently won the Punjab elections. Aam Aadmi Party's victory in two states helped the party in attaining a national party status. AAP was formed in 2012 as part of the anti-corruption protests led by Anna Hazare.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission had withdrawn the status of CPI, NCP and Trinamool Congress. CPI lost its support in many places due to growing influence of BJP, AAP and Trinamool Congress. At present CPI is not in power in any state. In Kerala, the CPM is only part of the ruling party.

West Bengal is currently ruled by the Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee. But they lost national party status. Sarath Pawar-led NCP is also among the parties that have lost their national status. The NCP, which was part of the Maharashtra government along with the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Thackeray faction, is now united with the Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray faction against the ruling Shinde-BJP government.