Editing Indian National Congress (section)

== General election results ==
In the [[1951–52 Indian general election|first parliamentary]] elections held in 1952, the INC won 364 seats, which was 76 per cent of the 479 contested seats.<ref name="India Today 2007">{{cite web | title=Congress led by Jawaharlal Nehru won the first general election in 1952 | website=India Today | date=2 July 2007 | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20070702-1952-first-lok-sabha-elections-748237-2007-07-01 | access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> The vote share of the INC was 45 per cent of all votes cast.<ref name="Ganguly 2022">{{cite web | last=Ganguly | first=Siddharth | title=The Parties That Contested India's First General Election | website=The Wire | date=2 February 2022 | url=https://thewire.in/history/the-parties-that-contested-indias-first-general-election | access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> Till the [[1971 Indian general election|1971 general elections]], the party's voting percentage remain intact at 40 per cent. However, the [[1977 Indian general election|1977 general elections]] resulted in a heavy defeat for the INC. Many notable INC party leader lost their seats, winning only 154 seats in the Lok Sabha.<ref name="Analysisb">{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Abhinav |title=Lok Sabha Poll Results: A vote-share and performance analysis of BJP vs Congress from 1996 to 2019 |url=https://english.newsnationtv.com/election/lok-sabha-election/lok-sabha-poll-results-a-vote-share-and-performance-analysis-of-bjp-vs-congress-from-1996-to-2019-225277.html |access-date=8 March 2022 |work=News Nation |agency=News Nation Network Pvt Ltd. |date=24 May 2019}}</ref> The INC again returned to power in the [[1980 Indian general election]] securing a 42.7 per cent vote share of all votes, winning 353 seats. INC's vote share kept increasing till 1980 and then to a record high of 48.1 per cent by 1984/85. [[Rajiv Gandhi]] on assuming the post of prime minister in October 1984 recommended [[1984 Indian general election|early elections]]. The general elections were to be held in January 1985; instead, they were held in December 1984. The Congress won an overwhelming majority, securing 415 seats out of 533, the largest ever majority in independent India's Lok Sabha elections history.<ref name="Hindustan Times 2003">{{cite web | title=Chronology of Lok Sabha elections (1952–1999) | website=The Hindustan Times| date=13 October 2003 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/chronology-of-lok-sabha-elections-1952-1999/story-592mMFUB4HLQKlLyUamnjN.html | access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> This winning recorded a vote share of 49.1 per cent resulting in an overall increase to 48.1 per cent. The party got 32.14 per cent of voters in polls held in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and [[Assam]] in 1985.<ref name="Ganguly 2022"/>

In November 1989, general elections were held to elect the members of the 9th Lok Sabha.<ref name="Anon">{{cite web | title=Statistical Report on General Elections, 1989 to the Ninth Lok Sabha| url=https://ceomadhyapradesh.nic.in/Links/Books/89_Vol_II.pdf | access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> The Congress did badly in the elections, though it still managed to be the largest single party in the Lok Sabha. Its vote share started decreasing to 39.5 per cent in the 1989 general elections. The 13th Lok Sabha term was to end in October 2004, but the [[National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA) government decided on early polls. The Lok Sabha was dissolved in February itself and the country went to the polls in April–May 2004. The INC, led by Sonia Gandhi unexpectedly emerged as the single largest party.<ref name="2004 Result">{{cite news |last1=Chakravarty |first1=Shubhodeep |title=INKredible India: The story of 2004 Lok Sabha election – All you need to know |url=https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/inkredible-india-the-story-of-2004-lok-sabha-election-all-you-need-to-know-2204202.html |access-date=10 March 2022 |publisher=Zee News|agency=[[Essel Group]] |date=18 May 2019}}</ref> After the elections, Congress joined up with minor parties to form the [[United Progressive Alliance]] (UPA). The UPA with external support from the [[Bahujan Samaj Party]], [[Samajwadi Party]], Kerala Congress, and the Left Front managed a comfortable majority.<ref name="2004 Result"/> Congress has lost nearly 20% of its vote share in general elections held between 1996 and 2009.<ref name="Analysis"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Year
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Legislature
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"|  Party leader
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Seats won
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Change<br />in seats
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Percentage<br />of votes
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Vote<br />swing
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Outcome
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;" class="unsortable"| Ref
|-
|[[1934 Indian general election|1934]]
|[[Central Legislative Assembly|5th Central Legislative Assembly]]
|[[Bhulabhai Desai]]
|{{Composition bar|42|147|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 42
|{{n/a}}
|{{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
|<ref name=T1>"Elections in India The New Delhi Assembly, Congress Party's Position", ''The Times'', 10 December 1934, p15, Issue 46933</ref>
|-
|[[1945 Indian general election|1945]]
|[[Central Legislative Assembly|6th Central Legislative Assembly]]
|[[Sarat Chandra Bose]]
|{{Composition bar|59|102|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 17
|{{n/a}}
|{{n/a}}
| {{partial|[[Interim Government of India]] (1946–1947)}}
|<ref name="Interim Govt">{{cite web | title=British India (1902-1947) | website=UCA | date=24 March 1902 | url=https://uca.edu/politicalscience/home/research-projects/dadm-project/asiapacific-region/british-india-1902-1947/ | access-date=13 February 2025}}</ref>
|-
|[[1951 Indian general election|1951]]
|[[1st Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=3|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
|{{Composition bar|364|489|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 364
|44.99%
|{{n/a}}
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistical Report on Lok Sabha Elections 1951–52 |publisher=Election Commission of India |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1951/VOL_11_51_LS.PDF }}</ref>
|-
|[[1957 Indian general election|1957]]
|[[2nd Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|371|494|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 7
|47.78%
|{{increase}} 2.79%
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|<ref name="GE1957V1">{{cite web | url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1957/Vol_I_57_LS.pdf | title=Statistical Report on General Election, 1957 : To the Second Lok Sabha Volume-I | work=Election Commission of India | page=5 | access-date=11 July 2015}}</ref>
|-
|[[1962 Indian general election|1962]]
|[[3rd Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|361|494|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 10
|44.72%
|{{decrease}} 3.06%
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|<ref>{{cite web| url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1962/Vol_I_LS_62.pdf | title=Statistical Report On General Elections, 1962 To The Third Lok Sabha | publisher=Election Commission of India | access-date=30 April 2014 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140718185518/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1962/Vol_I_LS_62.pdf|archive-date= 18 July 2014}}</ref>
|-
|[[1967 Indian general election|1967]]
|[[4th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=4|[[Indira Gandhi]]
|{{Composition bar|283|520|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 78
|40.78%
|{{decrease}} 2.94%
|{{yes2|Majority (1967–69)<br />Coalition (1969–71)}}
|<ref name="General Election of India 1967">{{cite web|title=General Election of India 1967, 4th Lok Sabha |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1967/Vol_I_LS_67.pdf |publisher=Election Commission of India |access-date=13 January 2010 |page=5 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718185108/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1967/Vol_I_LS_67.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014}}</ref>
|-
|[[1971 Indian general election|1971]]
|[[5th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|352|518|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 69
|43.68%
|{{increase}} 2.90%
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf |title=General Election of India 1971, 5th Lok Sabha |publisher=Election Commission of India |access-date=13 January 2010 |page=6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718175452/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014}}</ref>
|-
|[[1977 Indian general election|1977]]
|[[6th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|153|542|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 199
|34.52%
|{{decrease}} 9.16%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1977/Vol_I_LS_77.pdf |title=General Election of India 1977, 6th Lok Sabha |publisher=Election Commission of India |access-date=13 January 2010 |page=6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718185438/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1977/Vol_I_LS_77.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014}}</ref>
|-
|[[1980 Indian general election|1980]]
|[[7th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|351|542|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 198
|42.69%
|{{increase}} 8.17%
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|<ref name="1980 report" />
|-
|[[1984 Indian general election|1984]]
|[[8th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=2|[[Rajiv Gandhi]]
|{{Composition bar|415|533|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 64
|49.01%
|{{increase}} 6.32%
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistical Report on General Elections, 1984, to the Eighth Lok Sabha – Volume 1 (National and State Abstracts & Detailed Results) |url=https://old.eci.gov.in/files/file/4118-general-election-1984-vol-i-ii/?do=download&r=9755&confirm=1&t=1&csrfKey=6df04992cf2c2fe96a9487465b425663 |year=1985 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031082328/https://eci.gov.in/files/file/4118-general-election-1984-vol-i-ii/?do=download&r=9755&confirm=1&t=1&csrfKey=6df04992cf2c2fe96a9487465b425663 |archive-date=31 October 2021 |url-status=live |website=Election Commission of India |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref>
|-
|[[1989 Indian general election|1989]]
|[[9th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|197|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 218
|39.53%
|{{decrease}} 9.48%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9dDH9q7nVQ8C&pg=PA124|title=Indian Parliamentary Democracy|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|year=2003|isbn=978-81-269-0193-7|page=124}}</ref>
|-
|[[1991 Indian general election|1991]]
|[[10th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=2|[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
|{{Composition bar|244|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 47
|35.66%
|{{decrease}} 3.87%
|{{yes2|Coalition}}
|<ref name=IPU>{{cite web|title=1991 India General (10th Lok Sabha) Elections Results|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1991-election-results.html|access-date=7 September 2020|website=elections.in}}</ref>
|-
|[[1996 Indian general election|1996]]
|[[11th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|140|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 104
|28.80%
|{{decrease}} 7.46%
|{{partial|Opposition, later [[Confidence and supply|outside support]] for [[United Front (India, 1996)|UF]]}}
|<ref>{{cite book|last=Vohra|first=Ranbir|title=The Making of India|year=2001|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|location=Armonk|pages=282–284|isbn=978-0-7656-0712-6}}</ref>
|-
|[[1998 Indian general election|1998]]
|[[12th Lok Sabha]]
|[[Sitaram Kesri]]
|{{Composition bar|141|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|25.82%
|{{decrease}} 2.98%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/ge98/index_ge.htm |title=WORTHLESS! |website=General Elections '98 – India |publisher=Election Commission of India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410025915/https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/ge98/index_ge.htm |archive-date=10 April 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1998-election-results.html|title=General (12th Lok Sabha) Election Results India|access-date=12 February 2023}}</ref>
|-
|[[1999 Indian general election|1999]]
|[[13th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan="2" |[[Sonia Gandhi]]
|{{Composition bar|114|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 27
|28.30%
|{{increase}} 2.48%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/ge1999/index_ge1.htm |title=WORTHLESS! |website=General Elections '99 – India |publisher=Election Commission of India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410025423/https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/ge1999/index_ge1.htm |archive-date=10 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1999-election-results.html|title=General (13th Lok Sabha) Election Results India|access-date=12 February 2023}}</ref>
|-
|[[2004 Indian general election|2004]]
|[[14th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|145|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 31
|26.7%
|{{decrease}} 1.6%
|{{yes2|Coalition}}
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/GE2004/pollupd/pc/GE_NatSnapshot.htm |title=Party wise Summary|website=General Elections 2004|publisher=Election Commission of India|date=30 August 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727220231/http://eci.nic.in/archive/GE2004/pollupd/pc/GE_NatSnapshot.htm |archive-date=27 July 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|[[2009 Indian general election|2009]]
|[[15th Lok Sabha]]
|[[Manmohan Singh]]
|{{Composition bar|206|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 61
|28.55%
|{{increase}} 2.02%
|{{yes2|Coalition}}
|<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/second-upa-wincrowning-glory-for-sonia%5Cs-ascendancy/61892/on|title=Second UPA win, a crowning glory for Sonia's ascendancy|date=16 May 2009|work=[[Business Standard]]|location=India|access-date=13 June 2009}}</ref>
|-
|[[2014 Indian general election|2014]]
|[[16th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan="2" |[[Rahul Gandhi]]
|{{Composition bar|44|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 162
|19.3%
|{{decrease}} 9.25%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref name=pibgoi>{{cite web|url=http://www.pib.gov.in/elections2014/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027170410/http://www.pib.gov.in/elections2014/|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 October 2014|title=Final Results 2014 General Elections|publisher=Press Information Bureau, Government of India}}</ref><ref name=ecir14>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519040751/http://www.eciresults.ap.nic.in/PartyWiseResult.htm|archive-date=19 May 2014|url=http://eciresults.ap.nic.in/PartyWiseResult.htm|title=General Election to Loksabha Trend and Result 2014|publisher=[[Election Commission of India]]|date=16 May 2014 |access-date=19 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|[[2019 Indian general election|2019]]
|[[17th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|52|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 8
|19.5%
|{{increase}} 0.2%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48389130|title=Modi thanks India for 'historic mandate'|date=23 May 2019|access-date=29 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528223438/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48389130|archive-date=28 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[2024 Indian general election|2024]]
|[[18th Lok Sabha]]
|[[Mallikarjun Kharge]]
|{{Composition bar|99|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 47
|21.19%
|{{increase}} 1.7%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/how-rahul-gandhi-turned-the-tide-in-favour-of-congress-india-bloc-alliance-101717561727873.html|title=How Rahul Gandhi turned the tide in favour of Congress, INDIA bloc alliance|date=5 June 2024 |access-date=5 June 2024}}</ref>
|}
{{Vertical bar chart|1951|364|1957|371|1962|361|1967|283|1971|352|1977|153|1980|351|1984|415|1989|197|1991|244|1996|140|1998|141|1999|114|2004|145|2009|206|2014|44|2019|52|2024|99|full_name=All time-INC Lok Sabha seat count|type=demographic|note=}}