Why these MLC elections are important political markers despite being confined to four states
Vibha Sharma
New Delhi, Oct 29 (UNI) Only six states in the country-Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh-have a Legislative Council or Upper House of their state legislatures. And Graduates and Teachers constituencies for which these elections were held are the ones for which members are elected by graduates and teachers of that state. Therefore, the results in the 28 MLC seats across UP, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Bihar reflected the mood of a limited number of voters in the four states. So why was so much hype or political attention surrounding these results that top-of-the-line leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the respective chief ministers and opposition leaders, were keeping a close watch?
Overall the BJP-NDA won, but the good performance by opposition parties-the Samajwadi Party in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra and the Jan Suraaj Party in Bihar-came loaded with multiple political messages for both the BJP-led NDA and the opposition INDIA Bloc. Three states, Uttar Pradesh, with the largest number of Lok Sabha seats (80); Maharashtra, with the second-largest number (48); and Bihar, with the fourth-largest number (40), hold the key to the Lok Sabha, making these results significant. A key factor is the upcoming high-stakes 2027 UP elections. But more importantly, the ballot paper narrative and the fact that these elections actually represented the middle-class section of the country are also important political markers, observer say.
With the massive 403-seat UP Assembly election in 2027, the tight contest involving the Samajwadi Party is indicative of a close battle ahead between Yogi Adityanath-led BJP and the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and Congress INDIA Bloc. The SP winning seats in Varanasi, PM Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, has given the opposition an additional psychological momentum. Likewise, the opposition MVA winning three of five seats in Maharashtra-specifically in the BJP stronghold of Nagpur, home to the RSS headquarters and senior BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari and Devendra Fadnavis. The results are also a marker of how the educated middle class in the country is feeling. Unlike in General or Assembly elections, where diverse voters decide based on welfare schemes or caste equations, these MLC seats are contested by registered graduates and teachers.
The results, therefore, indicate the way educated and middle-class professionals are leaning. Most importantly is the fact that these MLC elections were conducted using ballot papers and not the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The BJP has used its 4-0 sweep in Karnataka and overall majority to debunk opposition claims of "EVM tampering," but the opposition is now also using the same narrative. Commenting on UP results, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said on Wednesday: "What kind of 'kala jaadu'(black magic) is this that Modi ji becomes popular through EVMs, but becomes 'unpopular' when ballot papers are used? The MLC election in Varanasi was held using ballot papers, and Modi ji became 'unpopular.'".
Meanwhile, the setback in the Nagpur graduates' constituency has triggered a public blame game within the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. In Bihar, the results highlighted a shift in political dynamics with Prashant Kishor's newbie Jan Suraaj Party winning its first-ever MLC seat, signaling acceptance in the state politics. Congress' worst nightmare came from Karnataka where the opposition BJP-JD(S) NDA alliance swept the elections, pointing to discontent and anger regarding state policies regarding teachers' transfers and recruitment processes. Perhaps the most embarrassing defeat for Congress was in Bengaluru where Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's loyalist lost.
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