On the day it faced a crunching defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, BSP has alleged that BJP has manipulated the electronic voting machines (EVMs) across the State.
Citing BJP’s victory even in Muslim-dominated areas, BSP supremo Mayawati said she has information from her party sources that votes were going to BJP even if the symbol of other parties were pressed. “Where have the votes to BSP gone? How non-BJP votes too were transferred to BJP?” she asked.
The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said she has written to the Chief Election Commissioner demanding that the results should be withheld until a probe by experts from abroad is held on the alleged manipulation of EVMs by BJP.
“Voting machines have been managed by BJP. Even in Muslim-dominated constituencies, BJP candidates have won. In 2014 too, this allegation was there. I was asked this question by reporters during the campaign too,” she said.
She added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah should write to the CEC demanding that the results must be withheld and the elections should be held again with ballot papers as it used to be in the past. “If they have any honesty, they should do write to the CEC,” she said.
She said people have lost their belief in EVMs and it is not good for democracy. “The United States have returned to ballot papers. We should also go back to ballot papers,” she added.
BJP rubbished her charges and said she should look into her party’s affairs than blaming the winners.