2024 Lok Sabha Polls: Congress to contest fewest seats ever after deals with INDIA partners

2024 Lok Sabha Polls: Congress to contest fewest seats ever after deals with INDIA partners

In a clear indication of Congress’ reduced electoral clout, the party is set to field the least number of Lok Sabha candidates in its recent history in the upcoming 2024 parliamentary polls, primarily as an outcome of its seat-sharing arrangement with allies of the INDIA bloc — the largest such pre-poll alliance for the grand old party at a time when its tally has diminished dramatically over the last two general elections.

According to various media reports (TOI and HT) and official communication from senior Congress functionaries, the grand old party is poised to contest close to 300 seats in the upcoming parliamentary polls.

If the final figures range around 300, it will be way short of the number of what it was in previous elections. According to the Election Commission data, the Congress contested 421 seats in 2019, 464 in 2014, 440 in 2009, and 417 in 2004, which is the lowest number of seats it has contested up to now of the 543 up for grabs in the general elections.

To put the figures in perspective amid an apparent slide in the party’s fortunes, the Congress won 52 seats in 2019, 44 in 2014, 206 in 2009 and 145 in 2004.

The party in its official communication has reasoned that the zeroing in on the number of seats the party wants to contest was made after endless rounds of deliberations with its alliance partners.

The decision is largely in line with the INDIA grouping’s stated objective of providing a formidable challenge to the ruling NDA. Senior party functionaries have opined that winnability and alliance dharma was adhered to while arriving at the decision.

Echoing similar views,  AICC spokesman Jairam Ramesh said its fight card had got squeezed this time to accommodate INDIA bloc partners in Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. The party is not contesting as many seats in these states as it used to in the past due to the alliance with NCP-Shiv Sena, Left and Samajwadi Party.

The party has conceded a large number of seats to its allies in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Tamil Nadu — the four states that account for 201 seats. In these four states, the Congress will have —17 candidates in UP including Amethi and Rae Bareli, nine in Bihar, nine in Tamil Nadu, and has announced 13 so far in Bengal.

In Maharashtra, out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress is fielding candidates in 17 seats, leaving 21 seats for Shiv Sena (UBT) and 10 seats National Congress Party (SP). The party fought 25 and 26 seats in the state in last two elections. The Congress has conceded six seats to its alliance partner, Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat.