Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, October 28, highlighted Congress’s performance in the Legislative Council elections across four states, asking how many seats the party had won in polls conducted using ballot papers. In a post on X, Modi referred to 28 seats across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka before posing the question: “Guess how many seats Congress won?”
The remarks come amid an ongoing political debate over electronic voting machines (EVMs), electoral transparency and the Opposition’s demands for greater scrutiny of India’s election process. The Congress has raised concerns about alleged electoral irregularities and advocated a return to paper ballots for elections.
Congress failed to win a seat in the Legislative Council contests covered by the reports published on October 28, although counting was still underway in some constituencies at the time. The elections covered 28 seats across four states, with voting conducted using ballot papers rather than EVMs.
Karnataka proved a significant setback for Congress, which is in power in the state. The BJP–JD(S) alliance won all four Legislative Council seats there, including the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency, which had previously been held by Congress.
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP and Samajwadi Party secured victories in several constituencies, while counting continued in others. Bihar saw victories for multiple parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal, BJP and Jan Suraaj Party, alongside an Independent candidate. In Maharashtra, counting was still underway in several constituencies when reports were published.
These elections were held in teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies, where voting is restricted to eligible registered voters in the respective categories. They are different from general elections, in which the broader electorate votes to elect representatives to the Lok Sabha or state legislative assemblies.
Modi’s post linked Congress’s electoral performance with the fact that the elections were conducted using ballot papers. The remark came against the backdrop of the Congress and other Opposition parties raising concerns about EVMs and demanding a return to paper ballots.
The post drew attention to the contrast between Congress’s demands regarding voting methods and its results in an election conducted using paper ballots. However, the result of a particular election does not, by itself, establish whether EVMs are reliable or unreliable. Such questions require evidence about election procedures, verification mechanisms and any documented irregularities.
Congress’s performance in these Legislative Council elections provides a snapshot of its position in the specific constituencies contested. The results in Karnataka are particularly notable because the party governs the state but failed to retain all the seats it previously held.
However, the elections involve a narrower electorate of registered graduates and teachers. Local political equations, candidate networks, alliances and voter preferences within these constituencies can influence outcomes. The results should therefore not automatically be treated as a measure of public opinion across all four states or as a prediction of future Assembly or Lok Sabha elections.
The broader debate over ballot papers and EVMs remains a separate question from which party wins an election. Electoral outcomes can inform political discussion, but claims about the integrity of voting systems must be assessed on the basis of verifiable evidence.
As the results emerge across the four states, the key distinction is between the confirmed seat tally and the political interpretations parties draw from it.
