2024: Top 10 Trends Indian Politics Witnessed This Outgoing Year

As the world is all set to depart 2024, with memories leaving behind, every person will have their own stories to tell and cherish. It is always recommended in the life skill developments to rewind things that a person or entity went through each day, month, and year to review, rectify, and reorganise more effectively for the time to come.

One of the undeniably impactful sectors that needs a retrospection or revision will be politics, especially in the Indian scenario, which witnessed tremendous events beginning from the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year to the Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections in November. This article tries to give a glance at significant political developments during the outgoing year that every citizens need to be aware of.

Read Also: Top 10 Technology Trends Of 2024: A Year Of Innovations, Controversies & Debates

1. Ayodhya Prana pratishtha (consecration of the Ram Mandir)

January 2024 started with Ayodhya Prana Pratishtha, one of the recurrent promises that the ruling BJP made for years, arguably a significant political booster to the saffron party’s electoral prospects for the general elections that occurred in April the same year. Many may wonder if the consecration of the Ram Mandir can be a political event but no one can deny that how the BJP used the event, with Prime Minister Modi inaugurating the temple, hailing it as the party’s ideological victory. The temple was built at the site of dismantled Babri Masjid following a Supreme Court ruling.

Read Also: 2024: Top Trends In Indian Education

2. Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

The same month, January, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched the iconic Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, or justice march, from Thoubal in Manipur, which ended on March 16 in Mumbai as a sequel to the 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress leader, throughout the Yatra, highlighted the injustice, including economic disparity, societal division, and an autocratic approach to governance, gaining significant momentum across the nation.

3. Lok Sabha Elections 2024 

Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nya Yatra was one of the key strategies of the Congress party to revive grassroots workers spirits, but the Yatra failed in effectively converting people’s emotions to votes during the Lok Sabha elections held from 19 April to 1 June in seven phases, electing all 543 members to the Lok Sabha. The efforts, however, found fruit as the BJP’s tally was significantly reduced, resulting in an alliance-dependent government when the election result was released in May. The exit poll had suggested a massive victory, predicting over 400 seats for the NDA. The Congress managed to improve its tally to 100 from 52 and Rahul Gandhi could win both from his sitting seat, Wayanad, and the Uttar Pradesh seat, Rae Bareilly, daring the challenge by the BJP.

4. Manipur Issue

The ethnic violence that started after clashes between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo erupted in May 2023 remained unresolved throughout 2024. The year saw multiple clashes, resulting in several civilian casualties and chaos. Around 221 people have been killed, and 60,000 people have been displaced so far. The issue was sparked by tribal protests against the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe status and government eviction of Kuki settlements from protected forest areas., which has been continuing to fuel ethnic strife, leaving the state’s law and order in dire state.

5. Imprisonment of Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren 

2024 saw the arrest and jailing of two chief ministers—former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren. Both the AAP leader and JJM leader were made to spend around five months in jail. While the AAP chief was charged in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor scam, the JJM supremo was arrested for money laundering and corruption. Kejriwal, despite being arrested, did not resign from the post, which he eventually left in September after being granted bail. The AAP chief also asserted that he would return to power if the people of Delhi give him a clean chit during the upcoming assembly elections.

Soren, after being released from jail, returned as chief minister, and his party won a massive victory in the Jharkhand Assembly elections held in September. The opposition has been alleging that the BJP was using the law enforcement agencies to suppress political dissents throughout the year.

6. Haryana Assembly Elections 

One of the significant political events has been the Haryana election result, which shocked the Congress party as it had hoped for a comfortable victory in the state. The result was opposite to exit polls, Lok Sabha result indications, and the alleged anti-incumbency feelings among the public. The Congress alleged EVM manipulation more aggressively than ever, which is still continuing to raise erosion of poll body integrity. The BJP had secured 48 seats while the Congress won 36 in the 90-member Haryana Assembly elections.

7. Maharashtra and Jammu Kashmir Assembly Elections

Both the Maharashtra and Jammu Kashmir assembly elections were two of the significant events in Indian politics in 2024. While Maharashtra went to poll after tremendous changes in political dynamics, especially the splits in NCP and Shiv Sena, Jammu and Kashmir was witnessing the state election for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 and the state’s reorganization. A repeat of Haryana, Congress and MVA alliance faced crushing defeat in Maharashtra, despite good performance in Lok Sabha constituencies. The Congress and Nationalist Conference Party alliance emerged victorious in Jammu and Kashmir.

8. Recurrent EVM Manipulations Allegations 

After the recent assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, Congress and the opposition parties have been raising malpractice allegations regarding the integrity of the EVMs. The grand old party has pointed out the inconsistencies while the poll body invited the party for a discussion. After the latest amendments, which were carried out in December, restricting public access to certain election-related documents, Congress has petitioned the Supreme Court to restore the integrity of the Election Commission.

9. Naveen Patnaik’s defeat

Another important political event in India was the historic defeat of Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and his party. After serving as the chief minister and becoming the second longest-serving chief minister of any Indian state, Naveen Patnaik resigned in June this year after his party’s tally was reduced to 51, in one of the crushing electoral debacles for his party.

10. Priyanka Gandhi’s debut

The year also marks Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s debut from Kerala’s Wayanad to Lok Sabha in the by-election necessitated by the withdrawal of Rahul Gandhi. Priyanka Gandhi, in a historic victory from Wayanad secured over four lakh majority, crossing Rahul Gandhi’s margin.

As the country is set to welcome 2025, the first important event that awaits politics will be Delhi assembly elections.