Congress to focus on 255 seats, leave the rest for INDIA allies

January 7, 2024 | < 1 min read

(Left to right) Senior leader Rahul Gandhi, President Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal of the Indian National Congress at a meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi last December (*Photo: IANS/X/AICC)*

In a move aimed at providing more concessions to parties within the INDIA bloc, the Congress has reportedly decided to contest only 255 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha going to the polls in a few months.

It means a climbdown from the 421 contested in the 2019 general election but in alignment with the party’s commitment to share seats with INDIA partners.

The decision followed a discussion involving Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, who met with members of the party’s five-member National Alliance Committee.

Sources revealed that Congress plans to conduct discussions with INDIA parties on a state-by-state basis. For the 2019 general election, it established alliances by partnering with the RJD in Bihar, NCP in Maharashtra, JD(S) in Karnataka, JMM in Jharkhand and DMK in Tamil Nadu.