Modi 3.0: Higher than average share of first-time MPs in new government

TDP, SP among those with greater proportion of fresh faces than 2019

The share of first-time Members of Parliament (MPs) is higher compared to the last ten elections.

The average share of first-time MPs was 47.53 per cent over the previous 10 elections, shows an analysis of data from the Trivedi Centre for Political Data (Ashoka University) and PRS Legislative Research. It is 51.6 per cent currently.  This is part of an uptick seen in recent elections. The average share of first-time MPs after 2000 was 51.1 per cent, slightly lower than the 18th Lok Sabha (chart 1).

 

First-time MPs make up 51.6 per cent of the Lok Sabha, which includes notable figures such as Arun Govil from Meerut constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Kangna Ranaut from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh and Yusuf Pathan from Baharampur in West Bengal. First-time winners constituted 49.9 per cent of the Lok Sabha elected in 2019 compared to 58.8 per cent in 2014, according to the data from Ashoka University’s Trivedi Centre for Political Data. It was 54.3 per cent in 2009 and 41.3 per cent in 2004.

Around 84 per cent are males and 16 per cent females, according to an analysis of data from PRS Legislative Research. In regards to education profile, around 44 per cent are graduates and 31 per cent have completed post-graduation; shows data from PRS Legislative Research.

While the BJP has less than half of such MPs (107 or 45 per cent of the total party MPs) and the Congress has (59.6) or 60 per cent, other parties have a higher share of first-time MPs. Among key parties, it was the highest in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) at 75 per cent, it had 33.3 per cent in the previous general elections (chart 2).The Samajwadi Party (SP) is second with 73 per cent of the winners from the party elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time. Congress with a 59.6 per cent share, was followed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (50 per cent) and the BJP (44.6 per cent).

Support for debutants was strong in Karnataka, where 71.4 per cent of winners were candidates with no Lok Sabha experience. In 2019, the share was 35.7 per cent. Maharashtra was next with a 68.8 per cent share, followed by Andhra Pradesh (64 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (56.3 per cent) and Gujarat (53.8 per cent). he share is less than 50 per cent in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar (chart 3).