According to ADR in between 2014 and 2021, INC, the oldest party of the country in the country lost 222 candidates to opposition parties.
Democracy has been defined as the government of the people, for the people and by the people. It is not to be run by the whims and fancies and private interests of our politicians. However, the basic framework of the biggest democracy in the world has become skewed and both ethical and moral benchmarks are falling. The ‘Aya Ram Gaya Ram’ syndrome has hit the Indian Polity and the never-ending hunger for power and money has put principles behind obtaining power by any means becomes the top priority.
Oldest Party Lost Most
The Indian National Congress which is facing a barrage of questions about leadership is also the party that lost more than 170 big leaders to other parties as per research by The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) is an Indian non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in the area of electoral and political reforms.
170 members of INC have switched sides and this constituted a whopping 42% of MLA who left the party. The figure is less than 4% in most of the other major parties including the BJP. Most of the members who have switched sides have gone to the BJP. The survey revealed that in all 1,133 candidates and 500 MP and MLA have switched parties and faced the election.
According to ADR in between 2014 and 2021, the oldest party in the country lost 222 candidates to opposition parties. The list includes 177 MPs and MLAs who bid adieu to the party which was founded more than 200 years ago.
BJP lost 111 Candidates, Trinamool Congress lost 23 candidates
After 2014 BJP lost 111 candidates which included 33 MPs and MLAs. In Bengal which recently went to the polls, the Trinamool Congress of Mamata Bannerjee lost 31 candidates and also 26 MPs and MLAs who joined other parties. However, 23 candidates and 31 MPs and MLAs also switched sides and came into Trinamool Congress.
In Bihar 59 candidates, 12 MPs and MLAs left the ruling Janata Dal (U) while 23 candidates and 12 MPs and MLAs joined the ruling party.
After Congress, the next party which suffered desertion was Bahujan Samaj Party. In the past 7 years, the party lost 153 candidates, 20 MPs and MLAs. However, 65 candidates and 12 MPs and MLAs switched sides and came into the Bahujan Samaj Party.
