New Delhi: In the highly anticipated Lok Sabha elections of 2024, the country witnessed a riveting contest where no single party secured a one-sided victory. The election, however, held a special significance for voters, as the total voter turnout surpassed that of any other country worldwide. Notably, women played a pivotal role, with a staggering 31.2 crore female voters participating. Their impact was evident in the results, as women secured victory in 74 out of 543 seats.
This election marked a historic moment the first since the passage of the bill granting reservation for women in Parliament. Although the implementation of this rule is pending, the number of women representatives slightly decreased compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where 78 women emerged victorious. A total of 797 women candidates contested in this election, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielding the highest number (69) and the Congress nominating 41 women.
Breaking down the victories, the BJP’s 30 women candidates and the Congress’s 14 secured seats. Other parties also contributed: 11 from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), 4 from the Samajwadi Party, 2 each from the Janata Dal-United (JDU) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), and 3 from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Despite these gains, India still lags behind several countries in terms of women’s political participation.
Adding to the election’s uniqueness, 280 new members entered the Lok Sabha a significant influx of fresh faces. Among them, 4 hailed from Uttar Pradesh, while 33 represented Maharashtra. Notably, several women candidates garnered attention during the campaign. Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut made her political debut from her native village of Mandi, securing an impressive victory. Another standout was 27-year-old Iqra Hasan, who triumphed in the Kairana Lok Sabha seat of Uttar Pradesh. Shambhavi Chaudhary, contesting from Samastipur in Bihar, became the youngest MP in the country. Additionally, BJP candidate Manju Sharma (Jaipur, Rajasthan), Bansuri Swaraj (daughter of late Sushma Swaraj), and Bharti Pardhi (BJP) also made headlines during this election.
