Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised Rahul Gandhi and Congress after the party failed to win any of the 28 seats contested in Legislative Council elections across four states. The results highlighted regional political shifts and challenges for the Opposition.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday took a sharp swipe at the Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi after the party failed to win a single seat among the 28 seats contested in the recent Legislative Council elections across four states.
In a post on social media platform X, Shah questioned Congress’s performance, writing in Hindi, “How many out of 28 did the Congress win?” He answered his own question with “0”, followed by the pointed remark, “Resign, Ballot Box.” The comment appeared to mock the Congress party’s repeated allegations concerning the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs), as the elections in question were conducted through ballot papers rather than EVMs.
The post included an illustration depicting a figure resembling Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, sitting and looking at the election results. Shah’s remarks quickly turned the outcome into a political exchange between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
The Legislative Council elections were held in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra. Unlike general elections, these contests involved limited electorates, including teachers and graduates in designated constituencies. Consequently, the results reflect political support among specific voter groups rather than the preferences of the entire electorate.
In Karnataka, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the Janata Dal (Secular), secured a four-seat sweep, delivering a setback to the ruling Congress party. The outcome provided the BJP and its ally with a political advantage in the state’s Legislative Council contests.
Uttar Pradesh witnessed a contest primarily between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party (SP). The BJP secured victories in several constituencies, while the SP won important teachers’ seats and maintained its position as a significant Opposition force in the state.
The results in Bihar presented a more fragmented political picture. The BJP and its ally, Janata Dal (United), won several seats, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) also secured a victory. The Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) opened its account, and independent candidates registered wins as well. The outcome reflected the presence of multiple political forces competing within the state’s graduate and teachers’ constituencies.
In Maharashtra, Congress again failed to secure any of the seats it contested, adding to the party’s disappointing performance across the four states.
Although Legislative Council elections do not directly determine the outcome of future Lok Sabha or state Assembly elections, they can provide indications of political influence among particular sections of voters. The results also offer parties an opportunity to assess their organisational strength, candidate appeal and support among professional and educated electorates.
Shah’s criticism comes at a time when Congress has been seeking to strengthen Rahul Gandhi’s role as an assertive national Opposition leader and position him as a prominent face of opposition unity against the BJP-led government.
For the Congress, the results present a political challenge, particularly as the party attempts to expand its influence and consolidate opposition forces across different states. However, the limited nature of the MLC electorates means the results should not automatically be interpreted as a reflection of wider public opinion.
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The BJP, meanwhile, has used the outcome to question Congress’s electoral performance and challenge its criticism of voting procedures. Shah’s remarks added a fresh political dimension to the results, with the debate extending beyond the council seats to the broader contest between the ruling party and the Opposition.
The election outcomes are likely to remain part of the continuing political debate over party leadership, electoral credibility and the relative strength of the BJP and Congress ahead of future electoral contests.
