The Congress party has faced a setback in the Legislative Council elections held across four states using ballot papers, with the party failing to win any of the seats declared so far. The elections were held in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka and Maharashtra, with polling conducted on October 23 and vote counting beginning on October 27, 2026. In Karnataka, the BJP-JD(S) alliance won all four seats, while the BJP and Samajwadi Party secured victories in several constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, the Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, opened its account in the Legislative Council elections by defeating a Congress candidate in the Darbhanga Teachers’ constituency.
The results have sparked a fresh political debate over the Congress party’s repeated questions about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and its demand to return to ballot paper voting. BJP leaders criticised Congress following the results, arguing that the party’s performance in ballot paper elections raises questions about its electoral strategy. However, counting was still underway in some constituencies, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra. The outcome has added another dimension to the ongoing political dispute between the BJP and Congress over electoral transparency and the voting process.
