Maya: Get 14 BJP mayors to resign, re-contest on ballots
They could not manipulate the polls in Meerut and Aligarh as there was massive anger against the BJP and they feared a backlash in case EVMs were tampered with MAYAWATI, BSP chief
LUCKNOW : The war of words between the BJP and opposition parties over electronic voting machines used in the civic polls continued on Monday with
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) counter-challenging the ruling party to get all its 14 newly elected mayors to resign and re-contest elections, this time on ballot papers.
In a press statement issued in the evening, Mayawati responded to the chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s challenge and rejection of her allegations on EVM tampering.
Yogi on Sunday had said: “If she (Mayawati) is so sure, she should get her party’s mayors in Aligarh and Meerut to quit and contest fresh elections through paper ballot voting. People who have won seats in elections held through electronic voting machines are now questioning it.” Mayawati said the chief minister’s statement not only “smacked of the arrogance of power” but also was akin to a pot calling the kettle black.”
The Bahujan Samaj Party leader also ridiculed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement who dubbed the Bharatiya Janata Party victory in Uttar Pradesh civic polls as “victory of the BJP’s vision”.
“They could not manipulate the polls in Meerut and Aligarh as there was massive anger against the BJP and they feared a backlash in case EVMs were tampered with,” the BSP leader said.
Mayawati was the first one to question the use of EVMs after the 2017 UP Vidhan Sabha poll results.
Soon, the other opposition parties second her allegation. Later, she accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of rigging the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections as well as the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.