‘Guess how many seats Congress won’: PM Modi’s dig at party's show in ballot-paper MLC polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a dig at the Congress over its performance in the biennial Legislative Council (MLC) elections held across four states using ballot papers, a key demand of opposition parties campaigning against electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The Congress failed to win any seats in Karnataka, while the BJP secured five seats and the Samajwadi Party (SP) three in Uttar Pradesh. Results for the elections to 28 seats across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka were announced on Wednesday.

"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?" Modi said in a post on X.

Counting began on Tuesday and was still underway in some constituencies.

Polling for the biennial elections was held on October 23 across 11 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, eight in Bihar, four in Karnataka and five in Maharashtra. These included six teachers' and five graduates' constituencies in Uttar Pradesh; four constituencies each in Bihar; two each in Karnataka; and three graduates' and two teachers' constituencies in Maharashtra.

In Maharashtra, the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti alliance was leading in three seats, while the opposition Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) was ahead in two.

In Bihar, the Jan Suraaj Party opened its account, while the BJP, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and an Independent candidate won one seat each.

The Congress suffered a setback in Karnataka, losing all four seats. The opposition Janata Dal (Secular) wrested one constituency from the ruling party, while its ally, the BJP, retained three seats.

The Congress and several other opposition parties have been demanding that future elections be conducted using ballot papers instead of EVMs.