If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in an alliance with others, it is known as a multi-party system. In India, we have a multi-party system. In this system, the government is formed by various parties coming together in a coalition. When several parties in a multi-party system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power,it is called an alliance or a front. For example, in India there were three such major alliances in 2004 parliamentary elections—the National Democratic Alliance, the United Progressive Alliance and the Left Front.