Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray dared the ruling Shinde-led Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP (Ajit Pawar) alliance Government to hold the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections with ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Addressing a news conference at the Sena (UBT)’s Nariman Point office in south Mumbai, Uddhav said: “After the BJP’s victories in the Assembly polls of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the BJP is creating perception around the country that there is a Modi wave in the country. If there is indeed a Modi wave in the country, I dare the BJP to hold the forthcomIng Lok Sabha and BMC elections with ballot papers instead of the EVMs”.
Uddhav also slammed the Maharashtra government for having delayed the BMC polls by one and half years. “After its success in the State Assembly polls in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the BJP – if it is confident about its victory – should hold the BMC polls immediately and that too with ballot papers instead of EVMs,” Uddhav said.
Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress came out in support of Uddhav’s demand to hold the BMC polls with ballot papers.
“Even when Uddhav was in alliance with the BJP in the past, he had made a similar demand, though at that time it was vis-Ã -vis the Congress. But this ballot paper experiment must be done now,” Wadettiwar said.
Wadettiwar said that there have been alleged instances of suspected EVM tampering which had created doubts in the minds of the people.
“Major democracies like the United States have also discontinued EVMs… The Government should clear doubts in the minds of the people about the EVMs by conducting the elections using ballot papers instead of EVMs,” the LoP in the State Assembly said.