MLC election results 2026: BJP’s Karnataka sweep, UP win in 5 points

A clean sweep in Karnataka and a strong showing in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar – the BJP is having a good day as votes are counted for 28 MLC election results in four states. The Congress’ poor showing – zero wins or even leads, so far – has only added to its joy.

But the BJP hasn’t had it all its way. In UP – where a critical Assembly election is due early next year – Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party is keeping its rival honest.

Tejashwi Yadav‘s Rashtriya Janata Dal is doing the same in Bihar, and independent candidates and Prashant Kishor‘s Jan Suraaj Party have also denied the BJP seats.

The big story is the BJP’s sweep of Karnataka – which is a good sign as the party plots a return to power in the only southern state it has ever ruled. And excellent MLC election results in Karnataka and UP will also help counter Rahul Gandhi‘s ‘vote chori‘ campaign, a narrative the Congress leader has been framing since the 2024 Lok Sabha election and which was boosted by the Express’ investigation into the Election Commission’s functioning.

In uttar pradesh. there are 11 seats available in UP and the BJP has picked up five so far. The Samajwadi Party has won three.

The Bihar Legislative Council elections gave a boost to the BJP, which won the Tirhut Teachers’ and Kosi Graduates’ seats and was leading in the Darbhanga Graduates’, even as it lost in its stronghold in the Patna Teachers’ constituency on Wednesday.

The Janata Dal-United [JD(U)], an NDA ally, retained the high-voltage Patna Graduates’ seat despite stiff internal dissension. It, however, lost the Tirhut Graduates’ and the Saran and Darbhanga Teachers’ seats, thus winning a seat fewer than in 2020.

Dr Sanjeev Kumar of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Suresh Prasad Rai of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) and Independent candidates Rahul Raj and Banshidhar Brijvasi won the Patna, Darbhanga and Saran Teachers’ and the Tirhut Graduates’ seats, respectively.(UPDATED ON 28TH OCTOBER 2026)