Lok Sabha elections make many regional parties kingmakers, but some draw blank: A deep dive

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to form the national government without the support from the Janata Dal (United) (JDU) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Meanwhile, the Opposition's INDIA bloc managed to put up a tough contest against the NDA, partly because of its allies, such as the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).However, a few regional parties, which didn't join the BJP-led NDA or the Opposition's India bloc, were wiped out in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. As many as 41 political parties will have their representatives in the 18th Lok Sabha.

Of these 41, four “national parties" – the BJP, Congress, AAP and CPIM – secured 346 or 64 percent seats.1. In Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party (SP) emerged as the single-largest party, winning 37 seats of the total 80 seats. The party's stellar performance was a big shock for the BJP and a relief for the INDIA bloc.2. In Bihar, Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) (JDU) won 12 seats, equaling the BJP's tally in the state.

The party's contribution to the NDA government will be significant.3. In Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) swept the Lok Sabha Election by winning 16 of the 25 seats in the state. It was the only party in Andhra Pradesh that won more than 10 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

The remaining three parties — YSRCP, BJP, and Janasena Party — won four, three, and two seats each.4. In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) was the single-largest party with 29 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Even though the TMC contested alone (without an alliance with Congress) in the state, it is still a part of the INDIA bloc at the national level.5.