LS Polls: I.N.D.I.A. Seat-Sharing Formula In Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar, UP, Bengal — See List

Lok Sabha Election 2024: In approximately 75 seats across nine states, the Congress is likely to contest with various allied parties in the I.N.D.I.A. coalition.

File Photo of senior leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, also known as the I.N.D.I.A. coalition. ( Image Source :PTI )

In a significant development ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, also known as the I.N.D.I.A. coalition, has hinted at a possible seat-sharing arrangement. According to sources, the Congress which is the main opposition party in the Lok Sabha, is poised to contest elections on 320 to 330 seats. Notably, the Congress can contest around 250 seats on its own, while in approximately 75 seats across nine states, the Congress is likely to contest with allied parties.

Sources have indicated that the Congress coalition committee may entrust the task of seat distribution to its party president, Mallikarjun Kharge. Having conducted discussions with state units, the National Coalition Committee of the Congress is set to submit its report to party president Kharge on Wednesday, January 3. Subsequently, the Congress leadership will engage in discussions with allied parties on the allocation of seats.

The states where the Congress is expected to share seats and union territories with allied parties include Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu and Kashmir. However, prospects for a coalition between Congress and AAP in Punjab seem dim, as per sources.

I.N.D.I.A. Bloc — Potential Seat Distribution:

State	Seats	Coalition Parties
Andhra Pradesh	25	Congress 25
Arunachal Pradesh	2	Congress 2
Assam	14	Congress 14
Bihar	40	Congress 4, Left 2, RJD 17, JD(U) 17
Chhattisgarh	11	Congress 11
Goa	2	Congress 2 (AAP may ask for 1 seat)
Gujarat	26	Congress 26 (AAP may demand 5 seats)
Haryana	10	Congress 10 (AAP may demand 2-3 seats)
Himachal Pradesh	4	Congress 4
Jharkhand	14	Congress 7, JMM 4; RJD, JD(U), and Left 3
Karnataka	28	Congress 28
Kerala	20	Congress 16, Others 4
Madhya Pradesh	29	Congress 29
Maharashtra	48	Congress 18, Shiv Sena 15, NCP 15
Manipur	2	Congress 2
Meghalaya	2	Congress 2
Mizoram	1	Congress 1
Nagaland	1	Congress 1
Odisha	21	Congress 21
Punjab	13	Congress 13, AAP 13 (Agreement unlikely)
Rajasthan	25	Congress 25
Sikkim	1	Congress 1
Tamil Nadu	39	DMK 24, Congress 9, Left 4, Local 2
Telangana	17	Congress 17
Tripura	2	Congress 2 (Left may contest 1 seat)
Uttar Pradesh	80	Congress 8-10, SP 65, Local 5-7
Uttarakhand	5	Congress 5
West Bengal	42	Congress 2-4, TMC 38-40
Jammu and Kashmir	5	Congress 2, NC 2, PDP 1
Ladakh	1	Congress 1
Delhi	7	Congress 3, AAP 4
Chandigarh	1	Congress 1
Andaman and Nicobar	1	Congress 1
Dadra and Nagar Haveli	1	Congress 1
Daman and Diu	1	Congress 1
Lakshadweep	1	Congress 1
Puducherry	5	Congress 4, NCP 1

Notably, the I.N.D.I.A. coalition has already held four meetings including the discussions in Patna, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. The alliance faces the formidable challenge of seat allocation and candidate selection. Sources suggest that the final agreement on seat-sharing may be sealed by the end of January.

Regional parties are keen on contesting as many seats as possible, setting the stage for negotiations. Congress, on the other hand, has formulated its own strategy, and the coming days will reveal whether a consensus can be reached. 

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