Off again, on again: Mayawati yells at EVM tampering during first phase polling

LUCKNOW: A day after the first phase of polling were conducted in eight Lok Sabha seats of western Uttar Pradesh, Bahuan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati here on Friday alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party tried misusing the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and illegal ways to influence the elections.

Ms Mayawati in a written statement here claimed that the Election Observer too admitted that in Bijnore Lok Sabha seat EVMs were only registering vote for ‘BJP’ even after the voters pressed the button of the BSP.

“In Kausauli booth number six, falling under Meerapur assembly segment in Bijnore LS seat, even the party candidate’s vote went to the BJP despite pressing the BSP button,” former UP chief minister alleged.

In a couple of tweets on Friday morning, Ms Mayawati alleged that as people have rejected the BJP, the ruling party tried to influence the elections by distributing money, misuse of police, government officials and EVMs.

In an another tweet, she asked the Election Commission to perform their Constitutional responsibilities of safeguarding the rights and aspirations of the common people and democracy and ensure free and fair polls in the next phases of polls.

Ms Mayawati alleged that during the polling on Thursday, UP police tried to obstruct the Dalits and several were not allowed to vote. She also claimed that her party’s leader Satish Chandra Mishra spoke about it to EC officials and UP DGP but his appeal went in vain.
BSP had complained to the EC about the Dalits being ‘forced’ to stay in their houses and not ‘allowed’ to vote.

However, UP CEO Vekenteshwar Lu out-rightly denied the charges and asserted that every possible effort was made for allowing everyone to cast their votes. He had also said that the charges of tampering of the EVMs were false.

In an appeal to voters, the BSP chief asked the electorals to “minutely” observe during voting whether the VVPAT was printing the same symbol for which they have voted.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Sidharthnath Singh in a statement here on Friday said that the statement of Ms Mayawati itself is a proof that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance has lost even before the announcement of the poll result.
(AGENCIES)

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