Congress should introspect, not blame EC for poll defeats: MP CM Mohan Yadav
Synopsis
With Congress leaders being detained in Delhi for marching against the Election Commission, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav turned the tables — asking why a party that won in Kerala and Himachal would distrust the very process that delivered those victories. It is a pointed political counter that the BJP is likely to amplify nationally.
Key Takeaways
MP CM Mohan Yadav on 8 October criticised Congress for blaming the Election Commission of India for its electoral defeats.
Yadav pointed to Congress governments in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh as proof the electoral process works in the party's favour.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained on 6 October while marching towards the ECI office in New Delhi .
Gandhi was detained again on 7 October during a protest march toward Jantar Mantar .
Opposition parties have demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
State Congress leaders Jitu Patwari and Umang Singhar led a solidarity foot march in Bhopal at 5 pm on Thursday .
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday, 8 October 2026, sharply criticised the Congress for holding the Election Commission of India (ECI) responsible for its repeated electoral defeats, asserting that the party must instead look inward at its own organisation and leadership failures. Yadav, who was speaking to reporters during a visit to Mumbai, made the remarks as Congress workers in Bhopal prepared to hold a foot march in solidarity with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Key Developments
The Chief Minister challenged the Congress's logic directly, pointing to the party's own governments in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh as evidence that the electoral process it now questions has worked in its favour. 'If there is distrust in the Election Commission's process, then what is the meaning of Congress' victory in Kerala?' Yadav said.
Yadav also cited Congress's prolonged absence from power in West Bengal and its weak political standing in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, arguing these setbacks demand internal examination rather than institutional blame. 'Congress should introspect and strengthen its organisation instead of blaming the Election Commission for every defeat,' he said.
Background: Opposition's Campaign Against ECI
Yadav's remarks come amid an escalating confrontation between the Opposition and the poll panel. On 6 October, Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and several INDIA bloc leaders were detained by police while attempting to march towards the Election Commission office in New Delhi. The Opposition was protesting alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and demanding accountability from the panel.
On 7 October, Gandhi and other Opposition MPs were detained a second time in Delhi after attempting to march towards Jantar Mantar. The Opposition has formally demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise on electoral rolls.
Bhopal March and State Congress Response
In Bhopal, state Congress president Jitu Patwari and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar were scheduled to lead a foot march at 5 pm on Thursday in solidarity with Gandhi. The state unit had also staged a protest outside the Chief Electoral Officer's office in Bhopal following Gandhi's detention in Delhi on 6 October.
What the CM Said on Constitutional Institutions
Chief Minister Yadav underlined that India is the world's largest democracy and that elections are conducted through a constitutional framework. He argued that electoral defeats should not become a pretext for undermining constitutional institutions. He also called on Gandhi specifically to reflect on Congress's electoral performance and leadership direction.
The BJP's counter-offensive, of which Yadav's remarks are a part, signals that the ruling party intends to frame the Opposition's ECI protests as a threat to democratic institutions — a political battle that is likely to intensify ahead of upcoming state elections.
Point of View
The same logic implies its losses elsewhere were self-inflicted, which is precisely the BJP's preferred narrative. What mainstream coverage underplays is the structural stakes: the Opposition's SIR campaign is not just a protest moment, it is an attempt to seed doubt about electoral rolls ahead of several key state elections. The BJP's institutional-defence framing and the Opposition's accountability framing are on a collision course, and the real arbiter will be the Election Commission's own transparency on the SIR data — something neither side is pushing it hard enough to provide.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did MP CM Mohan Yadav criticise Congress over the Election Commission row?
Yadav argued that Congress, which itself governs Kerala and Himachal Pradesh through the same electoral process, cannot credibly claim the Election Commission is biased. He said the party should introspect on its weakened organisation and leadership rather than blaming the poll panel for repeated defeats.
Why were Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders detained in Delhi?
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and INDIA bloc leaders were detained on 6 October while marching towards the Election Commission office in New Delhi to protest alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Gandhi was detained again on 7 October during a march toward Jantar Mantar.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise that the Opposition is protesting?
The SIR is an electoral-roll revision drive conducted by the Election Commission of India. The Opposition has alleged irregularities in the process and demanded accountability from the poll panel, including the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
What did the Congress do in Bhopal in response to the situation?
State Congress president Jitu Patwari and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar led a solidarity foot march in Bhopal at 5 pm on Thursday. The state unit had earlier protested outside the Chief Electoral Officer's office in Bhopal after Gandhi's detention in Delhi on 6 October.
Who is Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and why is his resignation being demanded?
Gyanesh Kumar is the Chief Election Commissioner of India. The Opposition has demanded his resignation, alleging that the ECI under his leadership has mishandled the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which they claim could disenfranchise voters.
