UP MLC polls 2026: BJP wins 4 seats, SP clinches Varanasi Teachers' constituency
Synopsis
With BJP winning four UP MLC seats and SP clinching Varanasi Teachers', the counting of 11 Legislative Council seats on 28 October is already throwing up results that both parties will read as pre-Assembly election signals — complicated by an SP boycott in Gorakhpur-Faizabad and an alleged altercation at the Agra counting centre.
Key Takeaways
Counting for 11 UP MLC seats (five Graduates', six Teachers') is underway on 28 October 2026 ; polling was held on 23 October with 152 candidates and 14.81 lakh electors .
BJP has won four seats so far, including both seats in the Meerut-Saharanpur division and the Bareilly-Moradabad Teachers' constituency.
Umesh Dwivedi (BJP) won the Lucknow Teachers' seat for a third consecutive time — a hat-trick.
Lal Bihari Yadav (SP) defeated the BJP in the Varanasi Teachers' constituency , alleging administrative harassment of his supporters.
The SP has boycotted counting in the Gorakhpur-Faizabad Teachers' constituency, alleging electoral malpractice; the claims are unverified.
Tension erupted at the Agra counting centre, with SP candidate Akash Agarwal alleging assault — an accusation BJP workers denied.
Vote counting for 11 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council (MLC) seats — covering five Graduates' and six Teachers' constituencies — is underway on Tuesday, 28 October, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) having secured four seats so far and the Samajwadi Party (SP) winning the high-profile Varanasi Teachers' constituency. The results are being closely watched as a barometer of the political mood ahead of the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Key Results So Far
The BJP has swept both the Teachers' and Graduates' seats in the Meerut-Saharanpur division. In the Teachers' constituency, BJP candidate Shrichand Sharma won with 18,099 votes, while in the Graduates' constituency, Dinesh Goyal of the BJP triumphed with 24,928 votes. Hari Singh Dhillon of the BJP also won the Bareilly-Moradabad Teachers' constituency.
Notably, Umesh Dwivedi of the BJP completed a hat-trick by claiming the Lucknow Teachers' seat for the third consecutive time. Following his win, Dwivedi said: 'I express my gratitude and thanks to all my respected teachers and fellow voters. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Yogi-ji, Modi-ji, and the party's lakhs of workers and office-bearers for placing their trust in me.'
SP Wins Varanasi, Alleges Harassment
The SP's Lal Bihari Yadav defeated the BJP in the Varanasi Teachers' constituency, marking one of the contest's most watched outcomes. After his victory, Yadav stated: 'The BJP's claims of winning both seats had proven hollow. Teachers had placed their trust in Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, and campaigning by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had no impact on the election.'
Yadav also alleged that the administration had harassed his supporters during polling, claiming some were placed under house arrest and others were pressured to remain on school premises. There has been no official response from the administration regarding these allegations.
Altercation at Agra Counting Centre
Tension flared at the Agra Teachers' constituency counting centre, where SP candidate Akash Agarwal alleged he was assaulted and his kurta was torn, holding BJP supporters responsible. BJP workers denied the accusation, claiming Agarwal had torn his own garment, and staged a sit-in protest. Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar confirmed that both sides had levelled assault allegations against each other, describing the situation at the counting centre as contentious.
SP Boycott in Gorakhpur-Faizabad
In the Gorakhpur-Faizabad Teachers' constituency — where counting is taking place at the Commerce Department of Gorakhpur University — the SP has boycotted the counting process, alleging electoral malpractice. SP leaders claimed that administrative officials and observers were working to favour the BJP candidate. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Graduates' Seats Still in Play
A tight contest continues in several Graduates' constituencies. In the Allahabad-Jhansi Graduates' constituency, SP candidate Mansingh Yadav led after the fifth round of counting. In the Lucknow Graduates' constituency, SP's Kanti Singh has held the lead since early rounds. The Varanasi Graduates' constituency remains a straight fight between SP's Ashutosh Sinha and BJP's Kedar Singh, with the result expected later in the day.
Polling for all 11 seats was held on 23 October, with 152 candidates in the fray and approximately 14.81 lakh electors eligible to vote. Counting began at 8:00 am across seven centres in the state, with tight security, CCTV surveillance, and videography in place. The full picture of the BJP-SP contest will emerge as the remaining constituencies declare their results.
Point of View
But SP's win in Varanasi — Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's symbolic turf — is a meaningful dent in the ruling party's narrative. The SP's boycott in Gorakhpur-Faizabad and the chaos at the Agra counting centre, however, risk overshadowing its genuine electoral gains; credible allegations of malpractice lose force when accompanied by unverified claims and dramatic on-ground confrontations. The real editorial question is whether the SP can translate localised wins and opposition energy into a coherent statewide strategy — or whether these remain pockets of resistance in a landscape still tilted toward the BJP.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the UP MLC elections and why do they matter?
The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council (MLC) elections for Teachers' and Graduates' constituencies are indirect polls seen as a crucial indicator of political sentiment ahead of full Assembly elections. The 11 seats contested on 23 October cover five Graduates' and six Teachers' constituencies, with roughly 14.81 lakh eligible electors.
Which seats has the BJP won in the UP MLC counting so far?
As of the latest count on 28 October, the BJP has won four seats: both the Teachers' and Graduates' seats in the Meerut-Saharanpur division (Shrichand Sharma with 18,099 votes and Dinesh Goyal with 24,928 votes respectively), the Bareilly-Moradabad Teachers' constituency (Hari Singh Dhillon), and the Lucknow Teachers' seat (Umesh Dwivedi, winning for the third consecutive time).
Why did the SP boycott counting in Gorakhpur-Faizabad?
The Samajwadi Party boycotted the counting process in the Gorakhpur-Faizabad Teachers' constituency, alleging that administrative officials and observers were working to ensure a BJP victory. These allegations have not been independently verified, and no official response had been issued at the time of reporting.
What happened at the Agra counting centre?
SP candidate Akash Agarwal alleged he was assaulted at the Agra Teachers' constituency counting centre and that his kurta was torn, blaming BJP supporters. BJP workers denied the allegation, claiming Agarwal tore his own kurta, and staged a sit-in protest. Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar confirmed both sides had levelled assault allegations, describing the situation as contentious.
Which Graduates' constituency results are still awaited?
Several Graduates' constituency results remain pending. In Allahabad-Jhansi, SP's Mansingh Yadav led after the fifth round; in Lucknow Graduates', SP's Kanti Singh held an early lead. The Varanasi Graduates' seat — contested between SP's Ashutosh Sinha and BJP's Kedar Singh — was expected to be declared later in the day on 28 October.
