Congress party to contest on 328 seats in Lok Sabha elections, lowest ever

The Congress party has fielded 328 candidates in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, making it the lowest the grand old party has ever contested a general election on less than 400 seats. 

The decrease in number of seats can be attributed to the seat distribution in the INDIA bloc opposition, of which Congress is the part.

In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress fielded candidates on 421 seats. In 2014, it contested 464 seats and in 2009, the party fielded candidates on 440 seats. T

The party contested 417 seats in 2004 Lok Sabha elections. The party won 52 seats in 2019, 44 in 2014, 206 in 2009 and 145 seats in 2004.

The decrease in number of seats is primarily due to alliance commitments of the grand old party. The party has given 101 seats to its allies.

Even in coalition era of Indian elections (between 1989 and 1999) the Congress party fielded candidates in over 450 seats.

This time, the biggest decrease in seats is seen in the state of Uttar Pradesh with the party contesting just 17 seats including Amethi and Raebareli. The Congress has fielded Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli seat that was won by his mother Sonia Gandhi in 2019.  

In last Lok Sabha elections, the party contested 67 of the state’s 80 seats but won only one seat of Raebareli. The party contested election in alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). 

The party has given the seats to its allies in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. These four states send 201 members to the Lok Sabha. 

The Congress is contesting more seats only in Karnataka and Odisha. In Mizoram, it is contesting the lone seat this time. In Karnataka, the party is contesting all 28 seats this time as compared to 21 in 2019. In Odisha, it is contesting 20 seats compared to 18 in 2019. Meanwhile, in West Bengal, the party has fielded candidates in just 14 of the 42 seats.

Voting has been concluded for 283 Lok Sabha seats after the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday, May 7. The voting for 543 Lok Sabha seats is being held in seven phases. The remaining phases will be held on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes for all seven phases of Lok Sabha Elections will take place on June 4.