The recently concluded 2024 Lok Sabha elections will see representation from 41 political parties in the 18th Lok Sabha, an increase from 36 parties in the previous term. This data, released post-elections, highlights the diverse political landscape of India’s parliamentary system.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) will together have 339 MPs in the 543-member House. The BJP, with 240 seats, fell 32 short of securing a single-party majority for the third consecutive term but will still form the government with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, who collectively won 293 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take the oath for his third consecutive term on June 8.
The Congress, on the other hand, increased its tally to 99 seats from 52 in 2019. The Congress-led INDIA bloc will have 233 MPs, with significant contributions from allies such as the Samajwadi Party (SP), which won 37 seats, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) with 29 seats, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with 22 seats.
Representation Breakdown
- Top States for Women Representation: Tripura and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu lead in women’s representation with 50% each. Delhi ranks third with 28.57%.
- States with Most Female Representatives: West Bengal elected 11 women, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh both elected seven.
- States with No Women Representatives: Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir, and Goa.
Party-wise Representation
- BJP: 240 seats
- Congress: 99 seats
- Samajwadi Party: 37 seats
- Trinamool Congress: 29 seats
- DMK: 22 seats
- Others: Including TDP (16), JD(U) (12), SHS (7), and independents and smaller parties (17)
Analysis
According to the think tank PRS, national parties secured 64% of the seats, while regional parties won 33%. The remaining 17 seats were won by candidates from non-NDA/INDIA parties and independents.
The elections saw participation from 751 parties, a significant increase from previous years (464 in 2014 and 677 in 2019), as reported by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The 18th Lok Sabha will be marked by increased political diversity, with more parties represented than in the past. While the BJP remains the largest party, the Congress and its allies have also strengthened their presence, setting the stage for a dynamic parliamentary term.