Which one among the following is the distinguishing factor between a pressure group and a political party ?

The fundamental distinction between a pressure group and a political party lies in their primary objective regarding political power. Political parties are organized groups of individuals who share similar political views and aim to gain political power through constitutional means, such as contesting elections and holding office [c3, c5]. In contrast, pressure groups (also known as interest groups) do not seek to capture political power or contest elections [c1, t4]. Instead, they focus on influencing government decisions and public policy to protect and promote the specific interests of their members [c1, t7]. While political parties must maintain broad-based platforms to attract a majority of voters, pressure groups typically concentrate on specific issues or programs [t7, t10]. Therefore, the defining difference is that parties seek to make decisions by holding office, whereas pressure groups seek only to influence those who hold office [t1, t9].

Sources

1. [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 86: Pressure Groups > MEANING AND TECHNIQUES > p. 601
2. [2] Democratic Politics-II. Political Science-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Political Parties > Meaning > p. 47
3. [3] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 78: Political Parties > MEANING AND TYPES > p. 565