Akhilesh asks parties to oppose use of EVMs
ATTACK Former UP CM also questions timing of inauguration of MeerutDelhi expressway LUCKNOW:
A day after malfunctioning electronic voting machines (EVMs) marred the Kairana Lok Sabha and Noorpur assembly by-polls in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday called for ballot paper voting because EVMs are a ‘threat to democracy’.
At a press conference at the state headquarters of the party, he also urged all opposition parties to unite against the use EVMs in elections.
“The SP has been demanding ballot-paper voting as the party and the people do not have faith in EVMs. Earlier, we had called an all-party meeting against the EVMs. The Congress did not attend it but now it is also raising voice against EVMs. We appeal to the Congress and all other parties to unite against EVMs,” Akhilesh said.
“Voting through EVMs is a threat to democracy. The glitches and technical snags that occurred yesterday (in Kairana and Noorpur by-polls) were a part of a strategy as EVMs failed in those places where the SP, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and alliance parties have a strong support base,” he said.
Akhilesh, however, said the alliance would win both the seats as the people had voted against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“The BJP did not fulfil any of its poll promises. Its loan waiver was a huge disappointment and betrayal to farmers. Even on sugarcane dues, the BJP government has let down the farmers. It tells the people how much cane payments the government has made but stays silent on the amount of massive arrears,” he added.
The Samajwadi Party chief also questioned the inauguration of Meerut-Delhi expressway shortly before polling.
“Though the Supreme Court had asked the government to do it quickly but Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it a roadshow and chief minister Yogi too joined it,” Akhilesh said.
‘NEED TIME TO VACATE BUNGALOW’
When asked if he and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, who too is a former UP CM, would vacate government houses following Supreme Court directives, Akhilesh said: “We are willing to vacate it but as of now, neither Netaji (Mulayam) nor I have a house in Lucknow. We, in our review petitions, have sought some time to vacate the houses.”
Akhilesh said he would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election but refused to confirm if the constituency would be Kannauj, which is considered a safe seat.
EC ORDERS REPOLLING AT 73 KAIRANA BOOTHS
The Election Commission (EC) has ordered repolling on Wednesday at 73 polling booths in Kairana parliamentary constituency where technical snags in EVMs-VPPATs were reported during the by-election on Monday, an official said.
Both the opposition and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had alleged that the EVMs at these polling booths were faulty and that could have a bearing on the free and fair outcome of the balloting.
Repolling will be held on May 30 between 7am and 5 pm, during which 80,000 voters are likely to exercise their franchise.