Over 8,000 candidates compete in LS elections; 47% independent contestants

Over 8,000 candidates are contesting in the Lok Sabha elections of which 16 per cent have been fielded by national parties, six per cent by state parties, while 47 per cent of candidates are independents, a report by PRS Legislative Research said.

The 2024 general elections were held in seven phases between April 19 to June 1. Counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

This is the highest number of candidates since 1996, when a record 13,952 candidates were in the fray. In the 2019 polls, there were 8,039 candidates.

According to PRS, 8,360 candidates from 744 parties, including six nationally recognised parties, are contesting elections across 543 constituencies.

Overall, 16 per cent of candidates have been fielded by national parties, six per cent by state parties, and 47 per cent of candidates are independents.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), one of the six national parties, has fielded the highest number of candidates -- 488.

Among national parties, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is second, fielding 441 candidates, Congress has fielded 328, Communist Party of India (Marxist) has 52 candidates while Aam Aadmi Party has 22 and National People's Party has three.

Among state parties, the Samajwadi Party with 71 candidates, and Trinamool Congress with 48 candidates, have fielded the highest number of candidates.
 

AIADMK has fielded 36 candidates, CPI has 30 candidates, YSRCP has 25, RJD has 24 and DMK has fielded 22 candidates.

Among the unrecognised parties, the Social Unity Centre of India (Communist) fielded the highest number of candidates (150), followed by the People's Party of India (Democratic), which fielded 79 candidates, the PRS report said.

On an average, 15 candidates are contesting from each constituency. The number of candidates contesting from each constituency varies widely across states.

Telangana had the highest average number of candidates per constituency that is 31 while Ladakh and Nagaland had three candidates each.

Tamil Nadu's Karur had the highest number of candidates that is 54, 46 of these candidates contested as independents (85 per cent).

The average age of candidates contesting this election is 48 years.

Among the national parties, 13 per cent of candidates fielded are below the age of 40, while 20 percent of candidates fielded by the BSP (98 candidates) are below the age of 40.

Of the candidates from major political parties, 27 per cent have previously been an MP.

While 25 per cent have previously been Lok Sabha MPs and 4 per cent have been Rajya Sabha MPs, 2 per cent candidates have been part of both the Houses in the past.

Overall, 327 MPs from the 17th Lok Sabha are contesting again and one MP is contesting from two constituencies.

Meanwhile, the report also said 34 MPs from the 17th Lok Sabha who are re-contesting, are fighting on a different party's ticket this time. Of these, 11 instances are due to splits in the parties, such as in the case of the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Lok Jan Shakti Party.

A total of 53 sitting ministers are also contesting elections. Three of these ministers are currently members of Rajya Sabha, and five others completed their Rajya Sabha term in April 2024.