CM mum on EVMs, AAP leaders cry foul

The Aam Aadmi Party, which received a humiliating defeat in the municipal elections on Wednesday, vociferously raked up the issue of EVM tampering one again with senior AAP minister Gopal Rai remarking that there was an “EVM wave” across the national capital. The party finished a distant second in the civic polls with 48 wards and 38 of its candidates losing their security deposits. However, unlike his party colleagues, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal refrained from raising the EVM tampering issue and congratulated the BJP on its victory in the municipal polls.

Ahead of the poll result, Mr Kejriwal had threatened to launch an agitation over alleged “manipulation” of EVMs. However,

There is no use finding fault in EVMs now, the party leadership committed a historic blunder... It should look within to find reasons that stopped AAP’s march — Bhagwant Mann, AAP MP

there was no word from him on the proposed agitation today.

“EVM tampering is the bitter truth of the country’s democracy. One can crack jokes on us initially. But fearing that we will be made fun of, we cannot refrain from speaking the truth,” deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Dilip Pandey resigned as party’s Delhi unit convenor. Many AAP leaders, including party’s MP from Sangrur district Bhagwant Mann, held the party high command responsible for the defeat. After keeping mum for almost two months, he minced no words in slamming party leadership. “There is no use finding fault in EVMs now, the party leadership committed a historic blunder with regard to the overall strategy in the elections.,” he said.