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Updated: Nov 24, 2024 09:48 IST
New Delhi [India], November 24 (.): After the Opposition raised questions on functioning of electronic voting machines following the declaration of results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Sunday said that those who sought to balme the EVMs should note that the same machines were in Jharkhand, where the result favoured the INDIA bloc.
Speaking to ., Bhandari criticisise the Congress and termed it as an “anti-democracy” party.
“Those who are blaming the EVM, I want to tell them that same EVMs were used in Jharkhand where the result came in your favour…They are not able to digest the fact that their ‘Jhooth ki Dukaan’ has been exposed from Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh…If you (INDIA alliance) are blaming EVMs for your defeat then you should resign from the states where you have formed the government…Congress means anti-democracy,” he said.
In Maharashtra, the BJP won 132 seats while its allies- the Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde won 57 seats, and the NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, won 41 seats. The state has 288 assembly seats.
The constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a rude jolt with Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray winning 20 seats, Congress 16, and NCP(SP) led by Sharad Pawar only 10 seats.
Questioning the outcome of Maharashtra elections, Congress leader Pawan Khera said on Saturday that they had “continously” complained to the Election Commission but did not recieve any answer.
“The Lok Sabha election was fought in the name of Modi ji in Maharashtra, BJP lost it. The same state gives the same BJP 132 out of 148 seats within 4-5 months. What kind of strike rate is this? …Is this strike rate possible? Democracy is our concern. Electoral transparency is our concern. Can the BJP reverse anti-incumbency?” he said.
“We complained continuously. Jairam Ramesh had complained about the name being deleted from the Election Commission’s website from the house of a woman BJP leader. All the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi had complained. No answer was given…Whether we win or lose, we will continue to question the election process. In a country where exam papers are leaked, can we blindly trust the machines? You cannot shut us up by showing the results of Jharkhand. To date, apart from the poetry, we have not received any concrete answer from the Election Commission,” Khera said.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut also questioned the number of seats NCP and Shiv Sena had got, saying that the public doesn’t agree with these results. (.)
