18th Lok Sabha to See Representation from 41 Parties, Up from 36 in Previous Term
The 18th Lok Sabha will feature 41 political parties, an increase from the 36 parties represented in the recently dissolved 17th Lok Sabha. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress will together hold 339 of the 543 seats, with the BJP securing 240 seats and the Congress 99. Although the BJP missed a third consecutive single-party majority by 32 seats, it will form the government with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, winning a total of 293 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take his oath for a third consecutive term on June 8.
The Congress-led INDIA bloc will have 233 MPs, with significant contributions from allies like the Samajwadi Party (SP) with 37 seats, West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress with 29 seats, and Tamil Nadu’s DMK with 22 seats. An analysis by the PRS Legislative Research indicates that national parties won 346 seats, accounting for 64% of the total, while regional parties secured 197 seats, representing 33%. Seventeen seats were won by candidates from non-NDA and non-INDIA parties, including seven independents.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) noted a substantial increase in the number of political parties contesting the elections, with 751 parties participating, a 104% increase from 2009’s 368 parties. The number of contesting parties was 464 in 2014 and 677 in 2019, reflecting the growing political diversity and competition in India’s electoral landscape.
