2019 Vs 2024: Where all did BJP lose ground?

With PM Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) struggling to cross the 300-seat mark in the Lok Sabha poll results 2024 today, it seems hard for the saffron party to reach the majority mark of 272 on its own.

When Narendra Modi took over the PM’s office in 2014, it was a clean break for BJP in Indian politics.

The BJP secured enough seats to govern independently, without needing support from any coalition partners. Prior to this, India had experienced decades of coalition politics, where unstable coalition governments, characterized by various competing interests, had become commonplace.


From Uttar Pradesh to West Bengal, here are the five states that fared differently for BJP this time as compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections:

Uttar Pradesh:
The big Hindi Heartland came as an even bigger shock to the BJP this time. The ‘shehzadas’ have taken the town by surprise, as the saffron party is all set to receive a grand drubbing.

BJP won 62 seats out of 80 in 2019 but this time it has been reduced to 36 as of now. SP was leading on 36 and Congress on 6.

One key element that worked for the 'do ladko ki jodi' in UP, is the PDA perspective. Pichchde (backward classes), Dalits and Alpsankhyak (minorities), coined by Yadav has likely paid SP dividends.

West Bengal:
In West Bengal, BJP is currently leading on 12 seats out of 42 which is 6 down from what it secured in the 2019 General elections.

Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress is expected to secure a win as it is leading with 29 seats and one seat is expected for Congress.

BJP, during its election campaign had attacked the TMC government for corruption and indulging in appeasement politics but that didn’t fare well for the saffron party.

Maharashtra:
The BJP's strategy to create divisions within Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), as well as to seize their party names and symbols, has not achieved the desired results in Maharashtra.

In 2019, the BJP had won 23 seats in Maharashtra, while the Shiv Sena (undivided) won 18 seats. This time the saffron party is leading in 11 seats, while the Congress is leading in 12.

Karnataka:
The BJP-JDS alliance is leading in 18 out of 28 seats in Karnataka, while Congress is ahead in 10. BJP is leading on 16 seats while Janata Dal (Secular) is ahead on 2 seats, as per the Election Commission of India.

In 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party had won 25 seats whereas the grand old party in alliance with Janata Dal (Secular) had won 1-1 seat. On the remaining one seat, an independent candidate who was backed by BJP won the elections.

Rajasthan:
Another state, where BJP faced a setback is Rajasthan. Currently, BJP is leading in 14 seats, down from 24 setas that it won in 2019. Meanwhile, Congress is leading at 8 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.