New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday taunted the Congress party for its dismal show in the Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) elections despite the use of paper ballots, a key demand of opposition parties in their campaign against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
The Congress drew a blank in Karnataka while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won five legislative council seats in Uttar Pradesh and the Samajwadi Party three as results were announced on Wednesday for the biennial elections held in 28 upper house constituencies across four states.
“MLC elections in 28 seats across 4 big states - Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. Elections held using ballot papers. Guess how many seats Congress won?” Modi said in a post on X.
MLC elections in 28 seats across 4 big states - Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. Elections held using ballot papers. Guess how many seats Congress won? 🧐
Counting began on Tuesday and was still underway in some seats.
Elections to the six teachers' and five graduates' constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, four each in Bihar, two each in Karnataka, and three graduates' and two teachers' constituencies in Maharashtra were held on October 23.
In Maharashtra, the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti was leading in three seats while the opposition Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) [NCP (SP)] was ahead in two seats. The Jan Suraaj Party opened its account in Bihar, where the BJP, the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and an Independent have won one seat each.
The Congress suffered a setback in Karnataka, losing all four seats, with the opposition Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] winning one seat and the BJP retaining the other three.
The Congress and several other opposition parties have been demanding that all future elections be held using ballot papers and not EVMs.