Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, 29 October 2026, sharply criticised the Indian National Congress over its dismal showing in the recently concluded Legislative Council (MLC) elections held across 28 constituencies in four states using ballot papers. Both parties called on Congress and its INDIA bloc allies to answer pointed questions raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the results — and about the party's long-standing demand for ballot-paper voting over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Modi's X Post Sets Off Political Firestorm

The controversy was triggered by a post Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, in which 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 pointedly highlighted the contradiction between Congress's repeated EVM objections and its performance in ballot-paper-based polls, drawing wide attention across political circles.

JD(U) Calls Out Congress's EVM Narrative

Rajiv Ranjan, national spokesperson of JD(U), said Congress and its INDIA bloc allies must respond to the Prime Minister's challenge. 'Congress has repeatedly demanded voting through ballot papers instead of EVMs. However, in elections held across 28 constituencies for the Legislative Councils in four states, Congress failed to achieve success anywhere except the Nagpur Graduates' constituency,' Ranjan said. He further noted that in Karnataka — a state where Congress currently governs — the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) together swept all four contested seats, adding to the embarrassment. Ranjan also pointed out that Congress failed to open its account in Uttar Pradesh, a development that carries weight ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. 'Rahul Gandhi should introspect and atone for bringing Congress to such a poor state,' he said.

BJP Challenges Congress to Accept the Verdict

BJP Member of Parliament Yogender Chandoliya escalated the criticism, alleging that Congress had developed a 'habit' of challenging electoral outcomes regardless of the format. 'Congress had been demanding for a long time that votes should not be cast using EVMs, even though EVMs were introduced during Congress's own government tenure in Uttar Pradesh,' he said. Chandoliya questioned whether Rahul Gandhi would accept the verdict, and alleged the party would once again raise questions about results. 'Getting even one seat seems like a huge achievement for Congress, as making allegations on everything has become a habit for them,' he added. Chandoliya further argued that the national trajectory of results would not favour Congress regardless of whether elections used EVMs, ballot papers, or any other format.

The Numbers: BJP Dominant, Congress Manages One Seat

According to the results, the BJP won 13 of the 28 MLC seats contested across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Karnataka. Congress secured just one seat — in the Nagpur Graduates' constituency. The results also reflect a setback in Bihar, where Congress previously held one MLC seat. The INDIA bloc's combined tally was not specified in detail, but the poor Congress haul has renewed calls within ruling alliance circles for the grand old party to reassess its political messaging.

What This Means Going Forward

The MLC results, though indirect elections, carry symbolic weight as a referendum on Congress's grassroots connect in key states. With Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2027 on the horizon, a failure to win a single council seat in the state signals a deeper organisational challenge. The BJP is expected to amplify the ballot-paper argument in the run-up to future electoral contests, using it to counter Congress's EVM narrative. All eyes will be on whether Congress issues a formal response to Modi's post, or chooses to stay silent on the outcome.