As the world's biggest election process continues, the number of registered political parties in fray for Lok Sabha polls 2014 has grown to a record number of 1,687 and many of them have made unusual promises like helping lovers to get married and ending ministerial system.
There is also a large number of parties with now-famous election manifesto of ending corruption -- apparently inspired by the success of Aam Aadmi Party, while others are promising to promote vegetarianism, create a pyramid of enlightened people, or create an 'ocean' of honest people.
The names of most of these political parties say it all and these include Bharatiya Muhabbat Party, The Religion of Man Revolving Political Party of India, Freethought Party of India, Indian Oceanic Party, Jago Party and Jagte Raho Party.
Others include Pyramid Party of India, Life Peaceful Party, Holy Blessing People's Party and Labour And Job Seeker's Party Of India, National Future Party and Ministerial System Abolition Party and Best Class Party.
According to latest Election Commission data, there are six national political parties and 54 state parties in addition to 1,627 unrecognised parties. The six national
parties include Indian National Congress, BJP, BSP, CPI, CPI(M) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
A few of them have got their own websites, but not much information is available for most of these 1,627 parties,
which have been registered by the Election Commission of India as 'registered unrecognised parties'.
Still, many of these parties have fielded candidates from various parts of the country for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, while many others could join the fray in coming days.
In last Lok Sabha polls of 2009, over 2,000 candidates from registered unrecognised parties fought elections.
The 'registered unrecognised parties' have registered themselves with the Election Commission upon payment of a Rs 10,000 fee and a 100-member list.
Among those about which some information is available, Indian Oceanic Party was launched in 2010 and its website calls it "an ocean of philosophies, an ocean of honest people,
an ocean where the power of creating a prosperous India is developed".
Interestingly, the party symbol is not an ocean but a telephone, representing a connection between people. The 'Pyramid Party of India' says it aims "to transform
all the People of India into mediators, enlightened persons, vegetarians and peace-loving people during our current life-time itself through the electoral process".
The 'Religion of Man Revolving Political Party of India' is a West Bengal-based entity, while there are also parties like Third View Party and The Humanist Party of India from Maharashtra.
'Bharatiya Muhabbat Party' or National Love Party is a political outfit which was established on February 14, 2012, on the occasion of Valentine's Day and it claims to help lovers and help them get married.
Jagte Raho Party was launched by social worker-turned -activist Praful Desai. The party's main aim is to fight corruption.