Poll register

Of the 900 political parties registered with the Election Commission, some small, fringe parties stand out. Here are five that made us sit up and take note

What began as a civil society group in 1996, with the primary aim of establishing “a new political culture that will place citizens at the centre of governance”, became a political party in 2006. Founded by Jayaprakash Narayan, a doctor who was in the Indian Administrative Service, Loksatta now has a strong presence in Andhra Pradesh and is contesting 294 assembly seats and 42 Lok Sabha seats. The Mumbai chapter of Loksatta was launched in January and it is supporting Meera Sanyal, an independent candidate from the South Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency. To become a member, visit