PM Modi Mocks Congress After Zero Wins in Ballot Paper MLC Elections Across Four States

PM Modi Takes a Swipe at Congress Over MLC Election Results

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, mocked the Congress over its performance in the Legislative Council elections held across four states, pointing out that the polls were conducted using ballot papers rather than electronic voting machines (EVMs).

In a post on X, Modi referred to elections for 28 Legislative Council constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka before asking how many seats the Congress had won.

His remark was a political jab at the principal Opposition party, which has repeatedly raised concerns about EVMs and called for greater transparency in the electoral process.

Congress Fails to Win Any of the Seats It Contested

The Congress failed to win a single seat in the Legislative Council elections, according to reports on the results and counting updates.

The party contested 12 of the 28 seats across the four states, including four constituencies it had won previously. The outcome represented a setback for the Congress, particularly in Karnataka, where it is in power.

The results gave the BJP and its allies an opportunity to highlight the Congress's performance in elections conducted using ballot papers.

Why Did Modi Highlight Ballot Paper Voting?

The Prime Minister's comments referred to a wider political debate over the use of EVMs in Indian elections.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have raised concerns about the reliability and transparency of electronic voting and have called for changes to the voting system. Modi used the Congress's poor showing in the ballot-paper MLC elections to question its electoral performance.

However, the results of these elections alone do not establish whether allegations about EVMs in other elections are valid. The voting method and the political circumstances differ across elections, and claims about electoral irregularities require evidence specific to the election concerned.

Karnataka Delivers the Biggest Setback for Congress

Karnataka proved particularly disappointing for the Congress, which failed to win any of the four Legislative Council constituencies contested in the state.

The BJP won three seats, while its ally, the Janata Dal (Secular), secured the Bengaluru Teachers' constituency. The result was a setback for the ruling Congress government and a boost for the BJP-JD(S) alliance.

The outcome could also shape political messaging ahead of the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections, although Legislative Council results do not directly determine the outcome of a future Assembly election.

What Happened in Uttar Pradesh?

In Uttar Pradesh, elections were held for 11 Legislative Council constituencies.

The BJP secured several seats, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) also recorded victories. Results reported on Wednesday indicated that the BJP had won at least five seats, while the SP had secured three, with counting and updates continuing in some constituencies.

The results reflected a mixed contest in which the BJP maintained a strong position while the SP remained competitive in selected constituencies.

Bihar Sees Wins for Multiple Parties

Bihar's Legislative Council elections also produced a varied outcome.

The Jan Suraaj Party registered a significant breakthrough by winning the Darbhanga Teachers' constituency. Its candidate, Suresh Prasad Rai, defeated sitting Congress MLC Madan Mohan Jha by 324 votes.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) also won the Patna Teachers' constituency, while other seats went to candidates from different parties and an independent contender. The results highlighted the competition among political parties in Bihar's graduates' and teachers' constituencies.

Maharashtra Results Still Under Scrutiny

In Maharashtra, counting and updates continued for the five Legislative Council constituencies.

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance was leading in several constituencies, while candidates from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) were also competitive. The final outcome across the state was being reported as counting progressed.

The Maharashtra contests added to the wider political significance of the four-state MLC elections, although the final seat distribution depended on the results in individual constituencies.

How Are MLC Elections Conducted?

Legislative Council elections for graduates' and teachers' constituencies differ from general elections.

Only eligible graduate and teacher voters can participate in the relevant constituencies. These elections use ballot papers rather than EVMs and follow the applicable electoral rules for Legislative Council seats.

The 28 constituencies covered in this round of elections were spread across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Polling took place on October 23, with results announced on October 28.

Political Significance of the Results

The outcome has given the BJP and its allies an opportunity to criticise the Congress over its electoral performance and reinforce their arguments in the debate over voting methods.

For the Congress, the results represent a setback in the constituencies it contested, especially in Karnataka. However, the MLC elections involve a narrower electorate than general Assembly or Lok Sabha elections, so their results should not be treated as a direct measure of statewide or national voter preferences.

The results are likely to remain part of the broader political debate over election procedures, EVMs, ballot papers and electoral accountability.

Key Takeaways

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi mocked the Congress after its poor performance in the MLC elections.

• Elections were held for 28 Legislative Council constituencies across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka.

• Voting was conducted using ballot papers, not EVMs.

• The Congress contested 12 seats but failed to win any of them.

• The party's biggest setback came in Karnataka, where it lost all four seats it contested.

• The BJP won three Karnataka seats, while the JD(S) secured one.

• In Bihar, the Jan Suraaj Party won its first Legislative Council seat.

• The results have renewed political debate over EVMs and ballot-paper voting.

Bottom Line

Narendra Modi used the Congress's failure to win any of the MLC seats it contested across four states to take a political swipe at the Opposition party, highlighting that the elections were conducted using ballot papers. While the results are a setback for Congress in these contests, MLC elections involve specific graduate and teacher electorates and should not be treated as a direct prediction of the outcome of broader elections.