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Ballot Papers, But No Seats For Congress? PM Modi Takes A Dig After MLC Results
PM Modi takes a dig at Congress after MLC elections across four states, held using ballot papers. Kharge’s remark about Modi sparks another political row.
PM Modi Targets Congress After Four-State MLC Election Results
The Congress party has repeatedly questioned the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and demanded a return to ballot papers for elections. Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a dig at the party after the results of the Legislative Council elections in four states. These elections were conducted using ballot papers.
Elections were held for 28 seats across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The results were declared on October 28 and 29, 2026. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 16 seats, including 13 for the BJP. The Congress won just one seat, in Maharashtra.
Uttar Pradesh
In Uttar Pradesh, elections were held for 11 Legislative Council seats. The BJP won six seats, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) secured five. One notable result came from the Varanasi Teachers’ constituency. SP candidate Lal Bihari Yadav retained the seat, defeating the BJP candidate. The result was significant because Varanasi is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency.
Bihar
In Bihar, eight Legislative Council seats were contested. The BJP won three seats, while the Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Jan Suraaj Party won one seat each. Independent candidates secured the remaining two seats. The Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, opened its account in the Legislative Council elections. Its candidate Suresh Prasad Rai defeated sitting Congress MLC Madan Mohan Jha in the Darbhanga Teachers’ constituency by 324 votes.
Karnataka
In Karnataka, the BJP and its ally, the Janata Dal (Secular), won all four Legislative Council seats. The BJP secured three seats, while the JD(S) won one. This was a setback for the Congress, which is in power in Karnataka but failed to win any of the four seats.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra produced a different result, with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) winning three of the five seats. The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, won one seat each. The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) won two seats, while the Congress secured one.
Congress candidate Abhijit Vanjari retained the Nagpur Graduates’ constituency, defeating BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale.
PM Modi Takes A Dig At Congress
After the results, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at Congress in a post on X.
He wrote: “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? ” The post referred to Congress’s poor performance in the elections, which were held using the same ballot-paper system the party has demanded for other elections.
The BJP used the results to question Congress’s criticism of EVMs.
Kharge’s Remark About PM Modi Sparks Controversy
Meanwhile, another political controversy erupted after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge made a remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event in Patna, Bihar, on October 25. Kharge was attending a programme marking the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar’s first Chief Minister, Dr Shri Krishna Singh.
During his speech, a person in the audience shouted, “Modi nahi jayega” (Modi will not go). Kharge responded, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” (Even Modi’s father will go). The remark triggered criticism from BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah. BJP supporters and leaders also criticised Kharge on social media.
The BJP subsequently shared a song on social media with the repeated line, “Modi kahin nahi jaayega” (Modi is not going anywhere). The song also included lines praising Modi’s leadership and public support. The two controversies have added to the political exchanges between the BJP and Congress.
What do you think about PM Modi’s remarks and the political reactions that followed? Share your views in the comments.