The Congress failed to secure a seat in the biennial elections for 28 Legislative Council constituencies across Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra, with the results in Karnataka drawing particular attention. The BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance won all four seats contested in the state, including a constituency previously held by a Congress MLC.
The outcome has brought the Congress’s organisational strength and campaign strategy in Karnataka under scrutiny, as the party currently governs the state. However, the elections were held among a limited electorate of registered graduates and teachers, meaning the results do not necessarily reflect wider public opinion across the four states.
BJP-JD(S) Alliance Wins All Four Karnataka Seats
The BJP-JD(S) alliance secured victories in all four Karnataka Legislative Council constituencies, with the BJP winning three seats and the JD(S) taking one. The elections were held on October 23, and the results emerged on October 28.
The JD(S) candidate AP Ranganath defeated sitting Congress MLC Puttanna in the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency by 908 votes. Ranganath received 10,810 votes, while Puttanna secured 9,902, according to the reported results.
The BJP retained the other three constituencies. Shashil G Namoshi won the North-East Teachers’ seat, SV Sankanur secured the West Graduates’ constituency, and KM Suresh won the South-East Graduates’ seat.
Namoshi’s victory was notable because his constituency includes Kalaburagi, the home region of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The results have also focused attention on Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s organisational role in Karnataka. The party had assigned ministers to campaign in the constituencies, underlining the importance it attached to the elections.
BJP leaders described the outcome as a rejection of the Congress government’s record, citing allegations of corruption, irregularities and unfulfilled promises. These characterisations represent the opposition’s interpretation of the results rather than a direct measure of voter sentiment across the state.
Uttar Pradesh: BJP and Samajwadi Party Contest Key Seats
Uttar Pradesh accounted for 11 of the 28 seats in the four-state elections, with the BJP and Samajwadi Party emerging as the principal contenders in several constituencies.
The BJP retained seats in Meerut, Bareilly-Moradabad and Lucknow, while the Samajwadi Party won the Varanasi Teachers’ and Agra Teachers’ constituencies.
Counting was still underway in several constituencies at the time of the initial reports, leaving the overall state-wise picture subject to updates.
Bihar Sees Mixed Results
Bihar’s eight-seat contest produced victories for several parties and an independent candidate.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal won the Patna Teachers’ constituency, while the BJP secured the Tirhut Teachers’ seat. The Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, won the Darbhanga constituency, marking its first victory in a Legislative Council election.
Independent candidate Rahul Raj won the Saran Teachers’ constituency. The Darbhanga result was also significant for Congress, as Jan Suraaj defeated sitting Congress MLC Madan Mohan Jha.
Counting in the graduates’ constituencies was continuing when the initial results were reported.
Maharashtra Counting Continues
Maharashtra’s five constituencies were also part of the biennial elections, with counting continuing at the time of publication.
The main contest involved the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi. Initial trends indicated gains for the BJP-led Mahayuti, although the final outcome depended on the completion of counting.
What the MLC Results Mean for Congress
The elections involved constituencies reserved for registered graduates and teachers, whose voting patterns can differ from those in general Assembly elections. Candidate networks, local issues, personal outreach and preferential voting can all influence the results.
Consequently, Congress’s performance in these constituencies should not be treated as a direct referendum on its popularity among the wider electorate. Nevertheless, the party’s failure to win any of the 28 seats, particularly its loss of all four constituencies in Karnataka, provides a significant electoral setback in the contests covered by the reported results.
For the BJP and JD(S), the Karnataka victories offer an opportunity to highlight their electoral coordination ahead of the next Assembly election, scheduled for 2028. JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy welcomed the results and presented the alliance’s performance as an indication of its prospects in the state.
The final picture across all four states depends on the completion and confirmation of the results. Karnataka’s outcome, however, has already placed the focus on the Congress’s performance in a state where it holds power, while the results elsewhere reflect the different political alliances and local dynamics shaping each contest.