The Congress’s tally in Rajya Sabha will dip after the forthcoming biennial elections to the Upper House, but more worrying for the party is the shrinking of its geographical footprint. The Congress will not have representation in Rajya Sabha from as many as 17 states and Union Territories.
The Congress’s tally in the Rajya Sabha was 33 at the end of March. While four members have already retired, nine more will retire in June and July.
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After the elections, its tally will go down to 30, its lowest ever in Rajya Sabha. The Congress hopes the DMK will give it one of the six seats that are falling vacant. Its tally in that case will be 31.
But the party will have no Rajya Sabha representation from Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Delhi and Goa.
And, for the first time, it will have no representation from the eight states in the Northeast either. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had been a MP from Assam till he moved to Rajasthan in 2019.
Of the 30 or 31 seats that the Congress will have after the biennial elections, the maximum will be from the party-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka, where BJP is in power. The party will have 5 members each from Rajasthan and Karnataka, 4 from Chhattisgarh, 3 each from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat and two each from West Bengal and Haryana.
It will have one member each from Bihar, Kerala and Jharkhand.
It is a similar situation in Lok Sabha, too.
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The Congress has no Lok Sabha representation from states including Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
Of its 53 total Lower House members, 28 are from South India. There are 15 from Kerala, eight from Tamil Nadu, three from Telangana and one each from Karnataka and Puducherry. In North India, only Punjab had sided with the Congress in a significant manner, sending 8 members to the House.
The Congress has three MPs from Assam and two each from Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. In several states, it has just one MP. Among these states are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Goa and Meghalaya.
Manoj C G currently serves as the Chief of National Political Bureau at The Indian Express. A veteran journalist with a career spanning nearly two decades, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the publication's coverage of India's political landscape.
Experience & Career: Manoj has built a robust career in political journalism, marked by a transition from wire service reporting to in-depth newspaper analysis.
The Indian Express (2008 – Present): He joined the organization in 2008 and has risen to lead the National Political Bureau, overseeing key political coverage.
Press Trust of India (PTI): Prior to his tenure at The Indian Express, Manoj worked with India’s premier news agency, PTI, honing his skills in breaking news and accurate reporting.
Expertise & Focus Areas: As a seasoned political observer, Manoj focuses on the nuances of governance and party dynamics.
National Politics: extensive reporting on the central government, parliamentary affairs, and national elections.
Political Strategy: Deep analysis of party structures, coalition politics, and the shifting ideologies within the Indian political spectrum.
Bureau Leadership: directing a team of reporters to cover the most critical developments in the nation's capital.
Authoritativeness & Trust: Manoj’s authoritativeness is grounded in his nearly 20 years of field experience and his leadership role at a legacy newspaper. His long-standing association with The Indian Express underscores a reputation for consistency, editorial integrity, and rigorous reporting standards required of a Bureau Chief.
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