BJP won 234 seats, Congress 111, others 198 total.
Though the BJP-led NDA has crossed the majority mark, its strength reduced from the 2019 tally. The BJP won 234 seats in 2024, down from 303 in 2019, reflecting a decline in the alliance’s overall performance.
New Delhi: The Election Commission has declared results for all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the BJP securing 240 seats and the Congress winning 99 seats. The counting of votes for the 2024 general elections concluded on June 4, marking the end of a heated and competitive electoral process.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) crossed the majority mark of 272 seats, thereby ensuring its continuance in power. However, the alliance’s overall strength has diminished compared to its 2019 performance. In 2019, the BJP alone had won 303 seats, and the NDA had a total of 353 seats. This time, despite retaining a majority, the NDA’s reduced tally reflects a more fragmented mandate.
The opposition, under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), made significant gains. The INDIA alliance, a coalition of various regional and national parties, mounted a formidable challenge to the ruling NDA. Riding on the back of strategic alliances and effective campaigning, the opposition managed to cut into the BJP’s stronghold in several key states.
The Congress, a major constituent of the INDIA alliance, showed resilience in this crucial electoral battle. The party improved its seat count from the previous election, signaling a revival of sorts. The Congress’s performance, especially in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, contributed significantly to the opposition’s overall gains.
Despite the BJP’s victory, the reduction in the number of seats highlights the evolving political landscape in India. The regional parties within the INDIA alliance, such as the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and the Samajwadi Party (SP), also registered impressive performances in their respective states, consolidating their positions and impacting the overall tally.
The Election Commission reported that the votes were counted for 542 seats, as the BJP’s candidate from Surat, Mukesh Dalal, was elected unopposed. This unique situation slightly altered the usual process, but it did not affect the overall outcome of the elections.
The 2024 general elections were marked by a high voter turnout, reflecting the electorate’s strong engagement with the democratic process. Issues such as economic development, employment, national security, and social justice dominated the electoral discourse, with parties across the spectrum addressing these in their campaigns.
In summary, while the BJP-led NDA has retained power, the election results indicate a shift towards a more competitive and multipolar political arena. The performance of the opposition INDIA alliance, especially the Congress, underscores the dynamic nature of Indian democracy and sets the stage for an interesting political landscape in the coming years.
The Election Commission has declared the results for all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, though votes were counted for 542 seats due to the BJP’s candidate from Surat, Mukesh Dalal, being elected unopposed. The results highlight the distribution of seats won by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) across various states and Union Territories. Here are the key points summarizing the results:
- Overall Performance:
- The BJP secured 240 seats, maintaining a dominant position but experiencing a decline from its previous tally of 303 seats in 2019. The Congress won 99 seats, reflecting a slight improvement.
- NDA vs. INDIA:
- The BJP-led NDA, despite crossing the majority mark, saw a reduction in its strength compared to the 2019 elections. The opposition INDIA alliance made substantial gains, highlighting a more competitive political environment.
- Regional Parties’ Impact:
- Regional parties played a significant role in this election. The Samajwadi Party won 37 seats, the Trinamool Congress secured 29 seats, and the DMK captured 22 seats, significantly contributing to the INDIA alliance’s overall performance.
- Key State Performances:
- In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party’s strong performance underscored the importance of regional players in India’s largest state.
- West Bengal saw the Trinamool Congress maintaining a significant presence with 29 seats.
- In Tamil Nadu, the DMK continued its stronghold with 22 seats, demonstrating its regional dominance.
- Smaller Parties’ Contributions:
- Several smaller parties also made their mark. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won 16 seats, and the Janata Dal (United) secured 12 seats, highlighting their regional influence.
- The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) won 9 seats, reflecting internal splits but retaining some influence.
- Diverse Representation:
- The election results showcased the diverse political landscape of India. Parties like the NCP (Sharad Pawar) with 8 seats and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) with 5 seats demonstrated the varied political representation across states.
- New and Emerging Parties:
- Emerging parties and independents also found representation. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 3 seats, and several independents captured 7 seats, indicating a shift towards new political alternatives.
- Minor Parties’ Presence:
- Minor parties such as the Indian Union Muslim League (3 seats), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (3 seats), and the Voice of the People Party (1 seat) also found a place in the Lok Sabha, contributing to the mosaic of Indian politics.
- State-Specific Outcomes:
- In Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) secured 4 seats, reflecting its continued influence in the state.
- The National Conference won 2 seats in Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing the regional dynamics in the Union Territory.
- Strategic Alliances and Future Implications:
- The strategic alliances formed by both the NDA and INDIA blocs played a crucial role in shaping the electoral outcome. The performance of the INDIA alliance, particularly the Congress’s resilience and the gains by its constituents, indicates a potentially evolving political landscape leading up to the next elections.
In conclusion, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections have resulted in a more fragmented and competitive political scenario compared to previous years. The BJP-led NDA, while still in power, faces a stronger and more unified opposition in the INDIA alliance. Regional parties have asserted their importance, contributing significantly to the overall results. This election underscores the dynamic nature of Indian democracy and sets the stage for future political contests.
Ahead of the counting of votes, exit polls have predicted a strong performance by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a setback for the opposition’s INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha elections.
Approximately seven exit polls have projected 350-370 seats for the BJP-led NDA in the 543-member Lok Sabha.
These projections suggested that the INDIA bloc might secure between 107 and 140 seats, falling significantly short of the majority mark of 272 seats.
Three specific exit polls — India Today-My Axis India, India TV-CNX, and News24-Todays Chanakya — forecast that the NDA would secure over 400 seats. This would indicate an overwhelming majority for the ruling coalition, reinforcing its dominance in Indian politics.
Many other exit polls indicated a significant victory for the BJP in Karnataka, a state previously ruled by the Congress. This would be a crucial win for the BJP, reflecting its ability to penetrate traditionally Congress-dominated regions. Furthermore, the India TV-CNX poll suggested that the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the NDA were poised to sweep the polls in Andhra Pradesh, emphasizing the regional support for the NDA coalition.
In light of these predictions, the NDA convened a meeting with its two biggest allies, the TDP and the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], to discuss their strategy moving forward. Similarly, the opposition INDIA bloc scheduled a meeting to deliberate on their next steps in response to the anticipated results.
These exit poll projections, if accurate, would reflect a significant mandate for the BJP and its allies, reaffirming their governance and policies over the past term. Conversely, they suggest a challenging road ahead for the INDIA bloc, necessitating strategic recalibrations to bolster their political standing in future elections.