The recent elections for the legislative council, held on October 23, 2026, resulted in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 13 out of 28 available seats across four states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Karnataka. The counting of votes, which began on October 28, extended over nearly two days due to various disruptions and allegations of irregularities. The Congress party managed to secure one seat, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) made notable gains in Uttar Pradesh and the Jan Suraaj Party marked its debut in Bihar’s legislative council.

Uttar Pradesh Results

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained six seats, while the SP increased its tally to five, gaining two additional seats compared to the previous election in 2020. The results are significant as they precede the state assembly elections scheduled for next year, where the BJP aims for a third consecutive term. Key victories for the BJP included Meerut and Agra, though it faced challenges in Varanasi, where the SP successfully held both graduate and teacher constituencies. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav described the outcome as a major setback for the BJP, asserting that the party had been “completely wiped out” in the state’s MLC elections.

The BJP currently holds 79 seats in the 100-member Uttar Pradesh legislative council, while the SP has 10 seats. The narrowest victory for the BJP came in the Gorakhpur-Faizabad teacher seat, won by just 307 votes, highlighting the competitive nature of the elections.

Karnataka Outcomes

In Karnataka, the Congress did not secure any of the four contested seats, with the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) claiming the Bengaluru teacher constituency from the ruling party. The BJP successfully retained three other seats: North-East teacher, South-East graduate, and West graduate, defeating Congress candidates in the process. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed disappointment and indicated that the party would review its strategy to identify areas for improvement.

Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra labelled the results as a clear rejection of Congress, while Union minister HD Kumaraswamy suggested that the performance of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would resonate in the upcoming 2028 assembly elections. The legislative council in Karnataka comprises 75 members, with the Congress holding 38 seats, the BJP 24, and the JD(S) 6, alongside one independent member and the chairman.

Bihar and Maharashtra Highlights

In Bihar, the BJP won three out of eight seats, with the JD(U), RJD, and Jan Suraaj Party each securing one seat. Notably, Jan Suraaj candidate Suresh Prasad Rai defeated Congress MLC Madan Mohan Jha in the Darbhanga teacher constituency, marking the party’s first entry into the legislative council. The BJP also achieved a significant win in Tirhut, Muzaffarpur, previously held by the CPI. However, it faced a setback in the Patna teacher seat, where five-time winner Nawal Kishore Yadav lost to RJD’s Sanjeev Kumar.

In Maharashtra, the Congress achieved a surprising victory in the Nagpur graduate constituency, with sitting MLC Abhijit Wanjari defeating BJP’s Sudhakar Kohale after second-preference votes were counted. The Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition secured three of the five contested seats, while the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance obtained two. This outcome is particularly notable as it occurred in the home district of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, indicating a shift in voter sentiment.

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