The anticipation surrounding the General Elections to elect members of the 18th Lok Sabha in India is palpable, with the elections expected to occur in the upcoming months of April and May. The ruling alliance of NDA is gearing up to face off against the newly formed I.N.D.I.A. alliance. With the official tenure of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) led 17th Lok Sabha session set to expire on 16 June 2024, all political parties have commenced their poll campaigns.
Elections for the 17th Lok Sabha took place in 2019, resulting in a landslide victory for the BJP-led NDA, which secured 353 out of 543 seats. The BJP alone won 303 seats, surpassing the required majority of 272 seats.
While the official announcement for the dates of the General Elections 2024 is pending from the Election Commission of India (ECI), speculation regarding the dates has begun circulating online. The elections are anticipated to take place in April and May 2024. The ECI is expected to make the much-anticipated announcement by the end of February or in the first week of March.
Although the ECI is yet to announce the official dates, multiple sources suggest that the elections are likely to be held in April and May 2024. The awaited announcement by the ECI is anticipated to provide clarity on the timeline.
While the exact number of phases for the General Elections 2024 is yet to be confirmed by the ECI, it is expected that the elections will be conducted in multiple phases, similar to previous elections.
During the 2019 General Elections, India had a total of 90 crore eligible voters, with approximately 15 million first-time voters. Reports for the General Elections 2024 indicate a significant rise in the number of eligible voters, with an expected increase of 6 crore, bringing the total to 96 crore eligible voters.
In the 2019 General Elections, the BJP-led NDA secured a substantial victory, winning 353 out of 543 seats. The BJP alone won 303 seats, establishing a majority in the elections. The main opposition party, INC (Indian National Congress), witnessed a marginal increase in seats, rising from 44 in 2014 to 52 in 2019, falling short of the required ten percent of seats to claim the status of the leader of the opposition.
After facing setbacks in the 2014 and 2019 General Elections, the Congress has decided to contest the 2024 General Elections under the banner of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance. The coalition, consisting of 26 parties, includes major state-level parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), among others.
However, the newly formed I.N.D.I.A. alliance encountered a setback months before the 2024 General Elections when Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JDU (Janata Dal United) decided to part ways and joined the NDA, affecting their stance against the ruling party.
The ruling alliance of NDA, led by the BJP, comprises 36 parties united under the NDA banner, including:
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
National People's Party
Shiv Sena
Nationalist Congress Party
Janata Dal (Secular)
Janata Dal (United)
Lok Janshakti Party
Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party
Hindustani Awam Morcha
Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal
All Jharkhand Students Union
Asom Gana Parishad
United People's Party Liberal
Apna Dal (Soneylal)
NISHAD Party
Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party
All India N.R. Congress
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha
Mizo National Front
Jannayak Janta Party
Haryana Lokhit Party
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party
Indigenous People's Front of Tripura
Naga People's Front
Shiromani Akali Dal Samyukta
Puthiya Tamilagam
Bharath Dharma Jana Sena
Kerala Kamaraj Congress
Republican Party of India (Athawale)
Rashtriya Samaj Paksha
Prahar Janshakti Party
Jan Surajya Party
United Democratic Party
Hill State People's Democratic Party
Gorkha National Liberation Front
The I.N.D.I.A. alliance, consisting of 26 parties, including the Indian National Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, and others, will contest against the NDA in the upcoming General Elections.
Indian National Congress
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Aam Aadmi Party
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Communist Party of India
Rashtriya Janata Dal
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha
Nationalist Congress Party
Shiv Sena
Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi
Peasants and Workers Party of India
Swabhimani Paksha
Samajwadi Party
Rashtriya Lok Dal
Apna Dal
Azad Samaj Party
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)
Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party
Indian Union Muslim League
Kerala Congress (M)
Revolutionary Socialist Party
Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi
Manithaneya Makkal Katchi
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
All India Forward Bloc