New Delhi, October 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Congress party’s failure to win a single seat in the recently held Legislative Council (MLC) elections across four states, despite voting being conducted through ballot papers, has triggered fresh questions about its organisational strength, electoral strategy and ability to mobilise support.
The results have also provided the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with an opportunity to counter the Congress’s repeated criticism of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
The setback was particularly notable in Karnataka, where the Congress lost all four MLC contests it contested, including a seat held by a sitting member. The outcome has raised questions about the party’s ability to mobilise its support base despite being in power in the state.
The MLC elections across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka have come at a politically significant time, ahead of the INDIA bloc’s proposed November 1 rally against alleged electoral irregularities and claims of “vote chori”.
The Congress’s performance has renewed debate over its organisational preparedness, candidate selection and electoral strategy. Political observers have noted that the Karnataka results are particularly challenging for the party, given that it governs the state and the contests offered an opportunity to demonstrate its political influence beyond the Assembly.
Losing all four seats, including one held by a sitting member, has raised questions about coordination within the party and its ability to consolidate support in the constituencies.
The BJP has seized on the results to challenge the Congress’s repeated allegations against EVMs. Its argument is that electoral outcomes depend on voter support, political credibility and organisational effectiveness rather than the voting mechanism alone.
The results have also sharpened the political debate over the Congress’s demands for greater confidence in the electoral process. The party’s inability to secure victories in these ballot-paper contests has given the BJP an opportunity to question its position.
The key question now is whether the Congress will undertake organisational introspection following the defeats or continue to focus primarily on alleged flaws in the electoral system.
A political observer noted, “Ballot papers do not guarantee victories, just as EVMs do not guarantee defeats.”
The observer added that the party’s central challenge was to regain voters’ confidence and demonstrate its ability to win elections, rather than focusing solely on the voting system used.
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