Key states and parties that moved the needle
PM Narendra Modi's first reaction to Lok Sabha elections 2024 results: ‘Historical feat in India’s history' In contrast, the Indian National Congress (INC) was a story of bouncing back, after a string of electoral setbacks over the past decade. The Grand Old Party roughly doubled its seat share, even though it registered a more modest rise in its national vote share. Among the seats it contested, its vote share increased from 24.8% in 2019 to 34.7% in 2024.
One strand of interest in this showing is its performance in direct contests with the BJP. In 2024, the INC was in a direct fight with the BJP in 288 constituencies. Of these, it secured more votes than the BJP in 95 seats (or roughly about one-third).
This is a contrast to 2019, when it went up against the BJP in 374 seats, but won only 16% of them. In other words, it doubled its strike rate in such seats. In vote share terms too, 2024 marked a substantial turnaround for the INC.
In 2019, in seats where it contested against the BJP, it garnered 23.3% of votes. In 2024, that has risen to 36.3% of votes. Overall, the INC contested 328 seats in 2024, down from 421 seats in 2019.
Focusing on fewer seats, and being more flexible in seat sharing, enabled it to focus its resources and campaign more efficiently. The Congress this time around also benefitted hugely from the quirks of the first-past-the-post electoral system, which can lead to wild swings in seats from only a small shift in votes, often at the cost of incumbents. States where the INC has gained vote share include Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and crucially, Uttar Pradesh.
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