PM Modi Mocks Congress Over Ballot Paper Election Results

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday questioned the performance of the Congress party in recent Legislative Council elections held across four states using traditional ballot papers. The polls covered 28 seats in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka, with results announced on Wednesday following counting that began on Tuesday.

State Results

In Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party secured five seats and the Samajwadi Party won three. The Congress failed to secure any seats in Karnataka, where its ally the Janata Dal (Secular) took one constituency and the BJP kept three. Meanwhile, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance led in three seats in Maharashtra, while the Nationalist Congress Party faction led by Sharadchandra Pawar led in two seats. In Bihar, the Jan Suraaj Party won its first seat, alongside victories for the BJP, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and an independent candidate.

Context

These biennial elections took place across 11 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, eight in Bihar, five in Maharashtra and four in Karnataka, covering specific graduates' and teachers' seats. The vote drew national attention because opposition parties have consistently campaigned against electronic voting machines and demanded a return to paper ballots for public elections.