MLC Election Results 2026: NDA Wins 16 Seats, Samajwadi Party Gets Five, Congress Wins Nagpur

The results of the 2026 Legislative Council elections across Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra have delivered victories for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), gains for the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and a closely watched win for the Congress in Nagpur. The NDA secured 16 of the 28 seats contested, while the SP won five and the Congress secured one seat overall.

NDA Records a Strong Overall Tally

The BJP won 13 seats, with its allies adding three more to bring the NDA total to 16. The elections covered graduate and teachers' constituencies, whose voters are drawn from defined categories rather than the entire electorate of a state.

The BJP-led alliance swept all four seats contested in Karnataka, retaining three BJP-held constituencies and gaining the Bengaluru Teachers' seat through its JD(S) ally. The result was a setback for the ruling Congress in Karnataka, which did not win any of the four seats.

Samajwadi Party Makes Gains in Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won six of the 11 seats, while the Samajwadi Party secured five. The SP's wins included the Varanasi Teachers' constituency and other seats representing teachers and graduates. The results are being closely examined because they come ahead of the state's next Assembly election cycle.

Graduate and teachers' constituencies often focus on professional issues, education, employment and local representation. Their outcomes can reflect a party's organisation among these groups, although they do not directly represent the preferences of all voters in the state.

Congress Wins Nagpur After Extended Counting

One of the most closely watched contests took place in Maharashtra's Nagpur Division Graduates' constituency. Congress candidate and sitting MLC Abhijeet Wanjari defeated BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale by 3,271 votes, securing 67,231 votes against Kohale's 63,960.

The counting process extended for more than 40 hours. Because no candidate secured the required quota through first-preference votes, the count proceeded through the transfer of preferences. Wanjari moved ahead during the elimination rounds and retained the seat for Congress.

Results in Bihar

Bihar's results also produced a mixture of outcomes for established parties and newer political entrants. BJP and allied candidates retained several constituencies, while the Jan Suraaj Party secured a notable win in the Darbhanga Teachers' constituency. The results demonstrated that contests in specialised electorates can produce outcomes beyond the state's main party competition.

Why These Elections Matter

Legislative Council elections are distinct from Lok Sabha and Assembly polls because they involve specific categories of voters and, in some cases, preferential voting. Candidate networks, professional associations and local issues can be particularly important.

The overall tally gives parties material for political messaging, but the results should not be treated as a direct forecast of future Assembly or parliamentary elections. The electorate, issues and voting systems differ.

Political Reactions and Next Steps

The results have prompted competing interpretations from political leaders. The NDA can point to its overall tally, while the SP can highlight its Uttar Pradesh gains and the Congress can cite its Nagpur victory. Each party will assess the outcome through its own organisational and electoral priorities.

The elections provide a snapshot of support among graduate and teachers' constituencies across four states. Their longer-term significance will depend on how parties respond to the results and whether the outcomes influence their campaigns and local strategies.