Congress busy making allegations, not introspecting MLC poll defeat: Bawankule
Synopsis
Maharashtra BJP Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule went on the offensive after Congress drew a blank in MLC polls across three states, accusing the party of deflecting blame rather than introspecting. With Mahayuti reportedly leading in three Maharashtra seats it previously held zero, Bawankule used the moment to also attack Congress president Kharge's 'baap' remark and Rahul Gandhi's criticism of electoral roll revision.
Key Takeaways
Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule criticised Congress on 28 October 2026 for making allegations instead of examining its MLC poll losses.
Congress drew a blank in three of four states where MLC polls were held and remained out of contention in Maharashtra .
Mahayuti is reportedly leading in three Maharashtra MLC seats it previously did not hold.
Bawankule attacked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his 'baap' remark targeting PM Narendra Modi , calling it a sign of 'mental imbalance'.
He dismissed Rahul Gandhi 's objections to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as 'futile' and out of touch with public priorities.
Bawankule warned leaders making 'unconstitutional remarks' against PM Modi will face voter backlash in the 2029 Lok Sabha polls .
Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, took sharp aim at the Indian National Congress, saying the party is preoccupied with levelling allegations against the electoral process rather than examining the reasons behind its poor showing in the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) polls. His remarks came as Congress drew a blank in three of the four states where MLC polls were recently held and remained out of contention for seats in Maharashtra, where counting was reportedly underway for five seats.
Mahayuti's Rising Fortunes
Bawankule, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a member of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, pointed to a dramatic turnaround in the alliance's seat tally. 'In Maharashtra, Congress earlier held Nagpur and two seats in Pune — a total of three seats — while Uddhav ji held Amravati, and Ajit 'Dada' held Marathwada... Previously, we had zero seats here, but now we are leading in three. This clearly shows Mahayuti is in the positive,' he said.
The minister drew a pointed contrast between the BJP's culture of post-defeat introspection and what he described as Congress's tendency to deflect blame. 'The Congress Party refuses to self-correct itself. When they face defeat, they fail to conduct proper self-introspection or analysis. Look at the BJP: whenever we face a setback, we learn from it, introspect, and work towards victory, while it is the opposite for them,' he said.
Congress's Alleged Blame Game
Bawankule noted that the MLC polls were conducted using ballot papers — a fact he said would do nothing to deter the party from crying foul. 'Now they will say that voters were bribed and intimidated. They will speak all such rubbish but won't analyse where and why they actually lost,' he remarked. He predicted that Congress would face a 'huge loss' in Maharashtra in the upcoming election cycle.
Attack on Kharge and Rahul Gandhi
The minister also criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his widely-reported 'baap' remark directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'His statement against PM Modi reflects his mental imbalance,' Bawankule said. He further noted that Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan had himself publicly distanced from Kharge's remark, and warned that leaders making what he termed 'unconstitutional remarks' against the Prime Minister and his family would face the electorate's verdict in the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. 'Whoever insults PM Modi and his parents will be sent home in 2029,' he asserted.
Separately, Bawankule dismissed Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. 'Rahul Gandhi is unnecessarily wasting time on useless and futile issues — matters that are not even on the public's mind and which the public criticises,' he said, arguing that cleansing voter rolls of deceased or relocated individuals was a 'genuine public demand' and a measure supported by citizens across the country.
What's Next
With Maharashtra's MLC counting still underway, the final seat tally will test whether Mahayuti's claimed momentum translates into numbers. The political exchange sets the tone for a combative pre-election atmosphere ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, with both sides hardening their positions on electoral integrity and governance accountability.
Point of View
Conducted on ballot papers with indirect voting, are structurally harder for opposition parties lacking organisational depth at the local councillor level. A deeper question — whether the ballot-paper format and legislator voting base systematically disadvantage parties with thin grassroots networks — goes unasked. Mahayuti's 'zero to three' claim also deserves scrutiny before final tallies are confirmed; leading is not winning, and framing it as a decisive shift is premature.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Chandrashekhar Bawankule criticise Congress after the MLC polls?
Bawankule criticised Congress because the party drew a blank in three of the four states where MLC polls were held and remained out of contention in Maharashtra, yet blamed the electoral process rather than examining its own organisational failures. He argued that the BJP, by contrast, introspects after setbacks and works towards recovery.
What are the Maharashtra MLC poll results so far?
As of 28 October 2026, counting was reportedly underway for five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats. Mahayuti was said to be leading in three seats it previously did not hold, while Congress, which had held seats in Nagpur and Pune, was reportedly out of contention.
What is the 'baap' remark controversy involving Mallikarjun Kharge?
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge made a 'baap' remark directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which drew widespread criticism including from within the Congress, with party leader Prithviraj Chavan publicly distancing himself from it. Bawankule called the remark a sign of 'mental imbalance' and warned it would cost Congress at the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls that Rahul Gandhi criticised?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a periodic exercise by election authorities to update voter lists — removing names of deceased individuals or those who have changed their address. Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about its conduct, but Bawankule dismissed his objections as irrelevant to public priorities, calling the clean-up of voter rolls a genuine national demand.
What are the political implications for Maharashtra ahead of 2029?
The MLC poll outcome and the escalating war of words signal a hardening of battle lines in Maharashtra ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Mahayuti is attempting to cement its momentum narrative, while the opposition's blank performance raises questions about its grassroots organisational strength in the state.
