PM Modi Mocks Congress Over Ballot-Paper MLC Polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at the Congress over its performance in the Legislative Council elections across four states, highlighting that the polls were conducted using ballot papers. The Congress failed to win any of the 12 seats it contested, giving the BJP an opportunity to question the party’s repeated criticism of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and allegations of electoral irregularities.

In a post on X on October 28, 2026, Modi pointed out that elections had been held for 28 Legislative Council seats across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka using ballot papers. He then asked how many seats the Congress had won, taking a dig at the party’s electoral performance.

“MLC elections in 28 seats across 4 big states – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. Elections held using ballot papers. Guess how many seats Congress won?” Modi wrote.

The Prime Minister’s remarks came amid the Congress’s continued criticism of EVMs and its broader allegations concerning the electoral process. The results have added a new dimension to the political debate over voting methods and electoral accountability.

Congress Fails to Win Any of the 12 Seats It Contested

The Legislative Council elections covered 28 seats across four states, with counting beginning on Tuesday. The Congress contested 12 seats, including four it had won in previous elections, but failed to secure a single victory.

Modi used the results to highlight the party’s performance in elections conducted through paper ballots. His post drew attention to the contrast between the Congress’s criticism of EVMs and its inability to win any of the seats it contested in these polls.

However, the elections involved specific Legislative Council constituencies rather than the general electorate. Their results reflect the contests held in these seats and cannot automatically be treated as a direct measure of the Congress’s performance in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections.

Karnataka Delivers Biggest Setback for Congress

The most significant setback for the Congress came in Karnataka, where the party is in power. The BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance won all four Legislative Council seats, with the BJP retaining three and the JD(S) capturing the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency from the Congress.

JD(S) candidate A P Ranganath defeated sitting Congress MLC Puttanna by 908 votes. Ranganath secured the constituency for the JD(S), dealing a blow to the Congress despite its position as the ruling party in Karnataka.

The results gave the BJP and its ally an opportunity to challenge the Congress over its electoral performance in a state where the party controls the government.

Congress Loses Ground in Bihar

In Bihar, the Congress contested five of the eight Legislative Council seats but failed to win any of them.

One of its prominent defeats came in the Darbhanga Teachers’ constituency, where Jan Suraaj Party candidate Suresh Prasad Rai defeated former Bihar Congress president and sitting MLC Madan Mohan Jha by 324 votes.

The victory marked Jan Suraaj’s entry into the Bihar Legislative Council. The Rashtriya Janata Dal, BJP and an Independent candidate also won seats in the Bihar contests.

The Congress’s failure to secure a seat in the constituencies it contested added to its disappointing showing across the four states.

Counting Continues in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra

In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress did not field candidates in the Legislative Council elections. The BJP won four of the six seats declared so far, while the Samajwadi Party secured two. Results for the remaining five seats were awaited in the information provided.

In Maharashtra, the Congress contested three of the five seats but had not secured a victory in the results reported so far. Counting was continuing in the state.

The results and trends across the four states formed the backdrop to Modi’s remarks about the use of ballot papers and the Congress’s performance.

Modi’s Remarks Renew Debate Over EVMs and Ballot Papers

The Congress has repeatedly raised concerns about EVMs and the electoral process, while the BJP has used the latest ballot-paper results to challenge the party’s arguments.

By pointing out that the Congress failed to win any of the 12 seats it contested, Modi sought to highlight that the party’s electoral difficulties were not limited to elections conducted using EVMs.

At the same time, the MLC results alone do not settle the broader debate about electoral procedures or establish the validity of every allegation concerning voting systems. The elections involved particular constituencies and electorates, and their outcomes must be understood within that context.

For the BJP, the results have provided a fresh political argument against the Congress’s criticism of EVMs. For the Congress, the outcome represents a setback in the four-state Legislative Council contests as questions over electoral processes continue to feature in political debate.

Key Points

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi mocked the Congress after it failed to win any of the 12 MLC seats it contested across four states.
• The elections covered 28 Legislative Council seats in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka and were conducted using ballot papers.
• The BJP-JD(S) alliance won all four seats in Karnataka, while Jan Suraaj defeated former Bihar Congress president Madan Mohan Jha in Darbhanga.
• Counting was continuing in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, with some results still awaited in the supplied account.

FAQs

What did PM Narendra Modi say about the Congress’s MLC election performance?

Modi asked, “Guess how many seats Congress won?” in an October 28, 2026, post on X, highlighting that the elections were conducted using ballot papers.

How many MLC seats did the Congress contest?

The Congress contested 12 seats across Karnataka, Bihar and Maharashtra but failed to win any of them in the results described. It did not field candidates in Uttar Pradesh.

How many Legislative Council seats were covered by the elections?

The elections covered 28 seats across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka.

What happened in the Karnataka MLC elections?

The BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance won all four seats. The BJP retained three, while JD(S) candidate A P Ranganath defeated sitting Congress MLC Puttanna in the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency by 908 votes.

Who defeated Madan Mohan Jha in Bihar?

Jan Suraaj Party candidate Suresh Prasad Rai defeated former Bihar Congress president and sitting MLC Madan Mohan Jha in the Darbhanga Teachers’ constituency by 324 votes.

Do the results settle the debate over EVMs?

No. The results show how candidates performed in specific Legislative Council constituencies conducted using ballot papers. They do not, by themselves, settle broader questions about EVMs or establish the validity of all allegations concerning the electoral process.