The Congress party on Thursday, October 29, 2026, responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism of its performance in the Legislative Council elections, urging him to examine the BJP's own electoral setbacks rather than criticise the Opposition.

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Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister should reflect on why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost both seats in Varanasi, Modi's parliamentary constituency, according to the party's account of the results.

In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh also highlighted the BJP's reported defeat in Nagpur, which he described as a stronghold of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Ramesh argued that the results from places including Varanasi, Nagpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj and Patna reflected public dissatisfaction with the government's policies. He described the outcomes as a “no-confidence motion” against the Prime Minister's policies.

The exchange followed Modi's remarks about Congress's performance in the MLC elections, where voting was conducted using paper ballots. The Prime Minister had questioned the party's results despite the use of ballot papers, a method that opposition parties have raised in debates about electronic voting machines.

The latest exchange highlights the continuing political contest between the BJP and Congress over electoral performance, voting methods and public support.

While both parties have used the results to challenge each other's political standing, the broader significance of individual constituency outcomes will depend on the election context and the wider electoral picture.