Analysis · candidate churn

Who contests, who returns, who wins

West Bengal Lok Sabha elections, 1962–2019

Contestants

466

2019 · 42 seats

Women elected

26.19%

Share of elected members

MPs re-elected

60.61%

20 of 33 who stood again

Turncoats

Switched party since the last poll

First-time winners

38.1%

16 of 42 seats

Lok Sabha

#17

Elected 2019

[01]Seats won by party

2019 · state result · 42 seats

AITC 2252.4%

BJP 1842.9%

INC 24.8%

[02]Women elected, election by election

Share of elected members · 2019–1962 · newest first

2019 26.19%

2014 28.57%

2009 16.67%

2004 9.52%

1999 11.9%

1998 14.29%

1996 11.9%

1991 9.52%

1989 7.14%

1984 11.9%

1980 4.76%

1977 4.76%

1971 5.0%

1967 5.0%

1962 5.56%

[03]Incumbent MP re-election strike rate

Of sitting MPs who stood again, the share that won

2019 60.61%20/33

2014 52.94%18/34

2009 42.86%12/28

2004 67.5%27/40

1999 89.74%35/39

1998 83.33%30/36

1996 82.35%28/34

1991 95.0%38/40

1989 69.7%23/33

1984 72.22%26/36

1980 56.25%18/32

1977 53.12%17/32

1971 68.42%13/19

1967 60.0%12/20

[04]Turncoats — candidates who switched party

Since the previous election they contested

2019 195 won

2014 190 won

2009 72 won

2004 82 won

1999 258 won

1998 134 won

1996 60 won

1991 101 won

1989 60 won

1984 72 won

1980 160 won

1977 54 won

1971 156 won

1967 32 won

[05]Winners by education

2019 · elected members' highest qualification

Graduate 14

Graduate Professional 9

Post Graduate 6

10th Pass 4

12th Pass 3

8th Pass 3

Doctorate 2

Others 1

[06]Winners by profession

2019 · elected members' main profession

Politics 9

Liberal Profession or Professional 8

Business 6

Salaried Work or Employed 5

Education 3

Social Work 3

Former Government 2

Retired or Pension 2

Agricultural Labour 1

Agriculture 1

Other 1

Religious Occupation 1

[07]Computed insights

Arithmetic · working shown

Women's share of elected members went from 5.56% in 1962 to 26.19% in 2019 — 4.7×.
26.19% ÷ 5.56% = 4.7×
The most party-switching came in 1999: 25 turncoats stood, of whom 8 won.
max(turncoats) over 15 elections = 25
Sitting MPs fared best in 1991 (95.0%) and worst in 2009 (42.86%).
max / min strike rate over 14 elections with incumbents
The most new blood arrived in 1967: 62.5% of winners had never won the seat before.
max(first-time-winner share), elections with a prior term = 62.5%

Each line is arithmetic over the figures on this page.

SourceTrivedi Centre for Political Data (TCPD) / Lok Dhaba, candidate-level election data; women, incumbency and turncoat figures are LokDhaba's own derived aggregates, one row per election for this state

NoteIncumbency and turncoat status require a previous election, so the first year on record carries none. Candidate age is not part of this dataset