Congress Suffers Major Losses in MLC Elections Across Four States
The Congress party faced significant defeats in the legislative council elections held on October 23, 2026, across Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra.
Congress failed to win any seats in Karnataka despite a state majority.
BJP and SP emerged victorious in Uttar Pradesh, while Jan Suraaj Party made its mark in Bihar.
Counting continues in Maharashtra, with BJP's Sudhakar Kohale leading in Nagpur.
The legislative council elections held on October 23, 2026, have resulted in a disappointing performance for the Congress party across four states: Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra. As counting commenced on October 27, the party has not secured any victories in the declared results so far, indicating a significant setback for its leadership.
In Karnataka, the BJP-JD(S) alliance achieved a clean sweep of all four legislative council seats, leaving Congress empty-handed despite its majority in the state Assembly. Notably, JD(S) candidate A P Ranganath defeated incumbent Congress MLC Puttanna in the Bengaluru Teachers’ seat, marking a pivotal win for the alliance. The BJP retained three other seats, further solidifying its position in the state.
Uttar Pradesh saw the BJP winning four out of eleven legislative council seats, with the Samajwadi Party (SP) securing two. The BJP's victories included the Bareilly-Moradabad Teachers’ seat and the Lucknow Teachers’ seat, while the SP made gains in Varanasi and Agra-Aligarh. Allegations of irregularities marred the counting process, leading to disputes and a boycott by the SP.
In Bihar, the elections brought unexpected results, with the Jan Suraaj Party claiming its first seat by defeating Congress in the Darbhanga Teachers’ constituency. The RJD also made significant gains, taking the Patna Teachers’ seat from the BJP. This election cycle has highlighted a shifting political landscape, with new parties emerging to challenge established ones.
As counting continues in Maharashtra, BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale is leading against Congress's Abhijit Wanjari in the Nagpur Division Graduates’ constituency. The election results are crucial as they will determine the composition of the legislative council, with the terms of current members expiring soon. The final outcomes are expected by October 31, 2026, which will clarify the political dynamics in these states moving forward.
