Indian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) & Parliamentary Elections 2014-2024: Evaluating Strategies and the Gender Gap
Abstract:
This study analyses the ratio of male to female
party candidates in India and how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s strategies
from 2014 to 2024 have marginalised women, making elections a crucial turning
point. Scholars have shown that women often lose elections due to party
decisions and strict criteria, reinforcing male dominance. Despite promises and
women casting 67.40% of the votes, female politicians remain underrepresented:
the Sabha parliamentary body comprises 469 elected men out of the 543 elected
members, as determined by the First-Past-the-Post system. Since independence,
the INC party and the BJP have focused on Hindutva ideology, promoting a
male-dominated, Hindu cultural identity. Methodically, the study reviewed relevant
literature, including the Election Commission of India, the Constitution,
articles, BJP websites, and campaign reports, to evaluate the BJP's winning
strategies and the "Seva” group's efforts to garner women’s votes. It also
examined literature on factors contributing to the gender gap, under the BJP’s
nomination patterns, which are often aligned with class-caste clusters,
geographical, and religious divisions. While, India’s deeply rooted
male-dominated tradition has discouraged many women from pursuing careers in
politics. The result portrays the BJP as India's most male-dominated ruling
party, urging the government and political parties to promote women candidates
and achieve the UN's goal of having one-third of all electoral positions allotted
to women. It recommends establishing inclusive media platforms among women's
elites to achieve electoral equality, adopting a bottom-up approach.
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