Laws made to regulate internal politics:  
(a) It should be compulsory to maintain a register of its members.
(b) It should hold independent inquiry in case of a party dispute.
(c) It should hold open elections to top party posts.
(d) It should be mandatory to give 1/3 party tickets to women candidates.
(e) There should be a quota for women in decision making bodies.
(f) The government or the state should help parties during elections by funding them.
(g) Expenses for petrol, paper, telephone etc., should be given. (h) Cash can be given on the basis of votes secured by the party in the last elections.

The two-party system is one in which the power alternates between two parties. The following are the advantages of two-party system.
(a) Stable government: The government in this party system would be very stable as it comes to power by a majority and, thus, there will be continuity of policies and programmes.
(b) Strong opposition: In the bi-party system, the opposition will be very strong and effective as only one party forms the opposition.
(c) Responsible government: This system best reconciles responsiveness with order and representative government with efficient governance.
The following are the disadvantages of two-party system.
(a) Undemocratic: Sometimes, the two-party system is considered undemocratic as the ideological choice is very limited between two parties. The opinions of people cannot be expressed properly.
(b) Cabinet dictatorship: Since the party comes to power by an absolute majority, it is difficult to remove it and it can result in the dictatorship of the cabinet.

The India National Congress (INC) espouses secularism and welfare of weaker section and minorities.
Four feature of INC are as follows.
(a) INC is one of the oldest parties of the world. It played a dominate role in Indian politics for several decades.
(b) Under the leadership of Jawaharlal nehru, INC sought to build a modern secular democratic republic in India.
(c) It supports new economic reforms but with a human face.
(d) Currently, INC is leading the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) as the opposition party at the centre.

The following are the differences between the national parties and regional parties.

In a democratic set-up, political parties are required because without political parties:
(a) every candidate in the elections will be independent.  No promises could be made and the utility of the government formed will remain uncertain.
(b) no one will be responsible for running the country. Elected representatives will only be accountable to their constituency.
(c) there will be no agency to gather and present different views on various issues to the government.
(d) no one will be responsible for bringing various representatives together so as to form a responsible government.
(e) there will be no mechanism to support the government, make policies and justify or oppose them.

In a democratic set-up, political parties are required because without political parties:
(a) every candidate in the elections will be independent.  No promises could be made and the utility of the government formed will remain uncertain.
(b) no one will be responsible for running the country. Elected representatives will only be accountable to their constituency.
(c) there will be no agency to gather and present different views on various issues to the government.
(d) no one will be responsible for bringing various representatives together so as to form a responsible government.
(e) there will be no mechanism to support the government, make policies and justify or oppose them.

(a) Congress party was founded in 1885 and has experiences many splits.
(b) It was ruling party at the centre till 1977 and then in 1880-89, 2000 to till date.
(c) This party supports secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities.
(d) It supports new economic reforms but with a human face.
(e) It emerged as the largest party with 145 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in 2004.
(f) It currently leads the ruling united progressive alliance (UPA). Coalition govt. at the centre.

Main functions of a political party are:
(1) To contest elections
In democracies, elections are fought mainly among the candidates put up by different political parties. Parties select their candidates in different ways. In India top party leaders choose candidates for contesting elections.
(2) Forming policies and programmes
Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters choose from them.
(3) Making laws
When parties come into power, they make laws for the country. Formally laws are debated and passed in the Legislature. Members of the ruling party follow the directions of the party leaders, irrespective of their personal opinions.
(4) Parties form and run government
Parties recruit leaders, train them and then make them ministers to run government in the way they want.
(5) Role of opposition Parties that lose in elections, play the role of opposition to the parties in power by criticizing the government for its failure or wrong policies.
(6) Shaping public opinion
They raise and highlight issues. Parties have lot of members and activities spread all over the country. Many of the pressure groups are extension of political parties among different sections of the society. Parties, sometimes also launch movements for the resolutions of problems faced by people.
(7) Access to government machinery and welfare schemes
For any ordinary citizen it is easy to approach a local party leader than a government officer. That is why they feel close to the parties even when they do not fully trust them. Parties have to respective to people's needs and demands.

In some countries, there are only two main parties and power changes hands between them only. They are the only ones who can win seats in elections. There may be other parties and they may win a small number of seats, but never enough to form a government. The United States of America and United Kingdom are examples of two-party system. In a multi-party system, three or more parties have a chance to win elections and gain control of the government. In this system, there are more than two distinct, officially recognised groups called, political parties. In a multi-party system, groups come to power on their own strength or in a alliance with others. In India various parties have come together in a coalition. In India, there have been three major alliances in the 2004 parliamentary elections as no single party got an absolute majority. This system is followed in India, France and Denmark. This system gives a chance to various interests and concerns, to gain representation. This system can sometimes lead to instability, as many parties cannot pull together.