Akhilesh alleged that a truck carrying EVMs had been intercepted by party workers in Varanasi while two other trucks managed to speed away….reports Asian Lite News
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, on Tuesday, alleged that a top official in the Chief Minister’s secretariat was telephoning District Magistrates across Uttar Pradesh and asking them to slow down the counting process on Thursday if the Bharatiya Janata Party is losing.
Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference here, he alleged that this was being done especially for 47 seats that BJP had won with a margin of less than 5,000 votes in 2017.
He said that a truck carrying EVMs had been intercepted by party workers in Varanasi while two other trucks managed to speed away.
“If the EVMs were being moved, then the candidates concerned should have been informed as per the Election Commission guidelines. We have videos to prove what we are saying,” he stated.
The SP chief said that ballots had been found in Bareilly and Sonbhadra.
Akhilesh Yadav further said that the exit polls were done in a particular manner to create a perception that the BJP is winning so that they can indulge in malpractices during counting.
He appealed to his party workers and “honest officers and journalists” to keep a vigil on strong rooms where EVMs have been kept.
“If farmers can stay in one place for a year, why can’t we stay for the next three days in one place. This is the last chance to save democracy, to save your vote. If this chance is gone, then we will have to launch a movement to save democracy,” he stated.
BJP slams Akhilesh
Hitting out at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, the BJP said that raising questions on EVM is anti-democratic.
The saffron party also said that the BJP did not question EVMs after the defeat in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and other states.
BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh tweeted, “The very reaction by dynasts @yadavakhilesh & Jayant Choudhary to exit polls by accusing @ECISVEEP of EVM malpractices shows how separated they are from the real world. The sense of entitlement due to dynastic politics gives them the arrogance and anti democratic attitude.”
Party national general secretary C.T. Ravi without naming anyone tweeted, “Poor EVMs, they have to bear the brunt of Dynasts.”
BJP national secretary and party in-charge of Gorakhpur region Arvind Menon said that Akhilesh raising questions on EVMs is anti-democratic.
“In a democracy, the people’s decision is paramount and it should be accepted with an open mind and introspection. Akhilesh Yadav ji raising questions on EVMs is not only ridiculous but also anti-democratic. Did BJP question EVMs after defeat in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan etc.?,” Menon tweeted in Hindi.
Taking a dig at SP chief Yadav, Union Minister Anurag Thakur had said, “Wait for March 10… Akhilesh (Yadav) has started saying that EVMs are unfaithful even before the results are announced.”
“The BJP will retain power in Uttar Pradesh with a thumping majority due to the new ‘MY’ (Modi-Yogi) factor,” Thakur had said.
Akhilesh Yadav had further said that the exit polls were done in a particular manner to create a perception that the BJP is winning so that they can indulge in malpractices during counting.