Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s X‑post on May 28 2026 rattled the political landscape, as he asked followers to guess how many seats Congress secured in the 28‑seat MLC elections spanning Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. The question followed BJP’s decisive sweep, which saw the party take the majority of seats in all four states.
The MLC elections, held on ballot paper instead of electronic voting machines, were a rare glimpse into state-level legislative dynamics. State governments had opted for paper ballots amid longstanding concerns about EVM tampering, a move that many analysts see as a test of electoral integrity.
BJP’s landslide performance—winning 22 of the 28 contested seats—marked a significant shift in the political calculus of the four states. Congress, which had historically been a dominant force in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, managed only six seats, a stark decline from its 2004 tally.
Modi’s rhetorical challenge—“Guess how many seats Congress won?”—was seen by opposition leaders as a direct affront to the party’s electoral credibility. Congress spokesperson Shashi Tharoor warned that the Prime Minister’s post could undermine the party’s credibility ahead of the 2027 general election.
The next week will see Congress rallying its base for a press conference on June 2, 2026, where it is expected to counter Modi’s allegations and outline a strategy to regain voter confidence. Analysts predict that the exchange could sharpen campaign rhetoric as parties gear up for the upcoming national polls.