CM Majhi fires at Congress over MLC poll shutout
Synopsis
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi used MLC election results from four states — where Congress reportedly won zero of 28 seats, even in Congress-ruled Karnataka on paper ballots — to demolish the opposition's long-standing EVM integrity argument in a sharp 28 October post.
Key Takeaways
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi posted on 28 October 2026 citing MLC results across four states .
Congress allegedly won zero of 28 MLC seats , including in Karnataka where it governs the state.
The elections were held on ballot papers , directly undercutting Congress's recurring EVM manipulation allegations.
Majhi addressed Rahul Gandhi by name, calling the results 'a verdict, not a glitch.' BJP and Congress have clashed over EVM reliability after virtually every major election since 2014 .
The post flags that future MLC and assembly contests will continue to test whether the EVM alibi retains public traction.
When the ballot paper delivers the same verdict as the machine, the alibi runs out. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi turned the results of MLC elections across four states into a pointed political argument on Wednesday, 28 October 2026 — zeroing in on Congress's long-running claim that EVMs are rigged against it.
The 'machine versus paper' argument — and why it just collapsed
For years, the Congress party and several opposition allies have alleged that Electronic Voting Machines favour the Bharatiya Janata Party, calling for a return to paper ballots. The argument became a staple of post-defeat press conferences and court petitions, especially after a string of assembly and Lok Sabha losses from 2014 onwards. The MLC elections — conducted under rules that permit ballot papers in certain councils — handed the BJP an unexpected rebuttal on its opponents' own preferred terrain.
CM Majhi's post put it bluntly: 'For years, Congress blamed EVMs for its defeats. Today, the ballot paper has delivered the same verdict. Four states. 28 MLC seats. Zero for Congress, even in Karnataka, where it is in power.' The numbers, if they hold, strip away the procedural grievance entirely. When two different methods of counting votes point to the same outcome, the method is no longer a credible variable.
The Karnataka sting — losing on home turf
The sharpest detail in Majhi's broadside is Karnataka. The Congress party has governed the state since 2023, and the Legislative Council there is a natural stronghold — the kind of arena where incumbency, patronage networks, and local organisational muscle should count for everything. A shutout in that environment, on paper ballots no less, is the political equivalent of losing your home ground in a penalty shootout you personally demanded.
Majhi framed this not as a regional blip but as a structural signal, invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'visionary leadership' as the force behind voters 'continuing to place their trust in development and good governance.' The hashtag #ModiKahinNahiJayega — roughly, 'Modi is not going anywhere' — underlined the celebratory register.
A direct line to Rahul Gandhi
The post closes with a direct address to Rahul Gandhi, the senior Congress leader who has been among the most vocal critics of EVM integrity. 'When the machine and the paper agree, it is not a glitch. It is a verdict. Kindly read it.' The tone is sardonic but surgical — less a taunt than a challenge to update the narrative.
Indian political watchers will recognise the pattern: every major electoral setback for Congress triggers a fresh cycle of EVM allegations, and every BJP win on paper ballots resets that cycle. Majhi is betting that this round — four states, a Congress-ruled one among them, zero seats — is too concrete to be explained away.
The arithmetic is in. The question now is whether the opposition rewrites its election playbook — or finds a new grievance.
Point of View
This episode could accelerate a shift in how the Congress frames future losses, potentially forcing the party toward a more substantive internal audit. The broader pattern — opposition EVM claims peaking after defeats, fading after wins — suggests the debate is less about electoral integrity and more about political messaging cycles.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are MLC elections in India?
MLC stands for Member of Legislative Council. These elections fill seats in the upper houses (Legislative Councils) of states that have a bicameral legislature, such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. They can be conducted via EVMs or ballot papers depending on the applicable rules.
Why has Congress questioned EVMs in Indian elections?
Since 2014, Congress and several allied parties have alleged that Electronic Voting Machines are susceptible to manipulation, citing successive election losses as circumstantial evidence. They have filed court petitions and demanded a return to paper ballots or 100 percent VVPAT verification. Courts and election authorities have consistently upheld EVM integrity.
What did CM Mohan Charan Majhi say about the MLC results?
CM Majhi stated that Congress won zero of 28 MLC seats across four states, including in Karnataka where Congress is in government, and that the elections were conducted on ballot papers — making the EVM alibi untenable.
Why is the Karnataka MLC result significant?
Karnataka is governed by the Congress party since 2023, giving it strong local networks and incumbency advantage. Losing Legislative Council seats there on paper ballots — the format Congress itself has demanded — is politically significant because it removes the procedural excuse for defeat.
Who is Mohan Charan Majhi?
Mohan Charan Majhi is a BJP leader who became Chief Minister of Odisha in June 2024 after the BJP won the state assembly elections, ending the Biju Janata Dal's long run in power.
