The BJP on Thursday jabbed at the Congress over complaints about faulty EVMs, or electronic voting machines, which it blames for defeats in the Haryana and Maharashtra elections.
The BJP’s X handle took a sharp jab at its rival, pointing out the technology – which the Congress has claimed is hacked to ensure the BJP wins – also delivered a record victory for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Wayanad bypoll. “If they lose, they start crying about EVMs. And, if they win, the Congress wins… It is not the EVM, it is the Congress’ intentions that are bad!” the BJP said in a Hindi post on X.
With the post was an image of Rahul Gandhi celebrating his sister’s Wayanad win.
मीठा-मीठा गप-गप, कड़वा-कड़वा थू-थू।
हारे तो EVM का रोना शुरू और जीते तो जीत कांग्रेस की…
EVM नहीं, कांग्रेस की नीयत ही खराब है! pic.twitter.com/TyTqwiTm1P
— BJP (@BJP4India) November 28, 2024
That image was sandwiched between pictures of an EVM and the messages – “Haryana, Maharashtra was lost because of EVMs” and “Wayanad was won because of Rahul and Priyanka’s strength”.
READ | Still Fuming After Maharashtra Loss, Maha Aghadi’s Anti-EVM Protest
The post came a day after the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of the Congress, and the Shiv Sena and NCP factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar held an anti-EVM protest, and Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a return to ballot papers.
“Let them keep EVMs with them. We don’t want EVMs, we want voting on ballot paper. Then they will know what their position is and where they stand,” he said referring to the BJP, adding, “We should start a campaign like Bharat Jodo Yatra to bring back the ballot paper.”
READ | “Don’t Want EVMs, Want Ballot Paper”: Kharge On Maharashtra Loss
The row over EVMs rears its head after every major election, with the opposition accusing the BJP of engineering victories by hacking the machines.
The BJP has refuted the claims, which have also been dismissed by the Supreme Court; earlier this year the top court, as the April-June federal election was being held, junked a plea to drop EVMs and return to paper ballots, saying “blind distrust” of the machines could not hold sway.
The court underlined its stance this week as it dismissed yet another petition to revert to paper ballots. The court then posed the same question – to the petitioner and critics of the electronic voting machines, asking, “… if you win, then EVMs are not tampered with… but if you lose…”
READ | “EVMs Not Tampered When You Win?” Top Court On Paper Ballots
On the political front, the snapbacks this week – after a thumping win for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra – have been led by Devendra Fadnavis, who is widely expected to be named Chief Minister for a third time.
READ | “Jharkhand Election Fair But If We…”: D Fadnavis On EVM Moans
Speaking after the BJP’s win was all but confirmed, he said, “JMM (and Congress) won in Jharkhand….The election there was ‘fair’… but if we get a huge victory in Maharashtra, then Election Commission is ‘biased’ and EVMs were ‘hacked’?”
The Congress’ continuing claims about the credibility of EVMs made headlines again after last month’s Haryana election. Exit polls expected the party to claim a convincing win, only for the ruling BJP to script a late comeback and, eventually, a comfortable victory.
A furious Congress refused to accept the verdict, insisting EVMs had been hacked and raising questions about alleged delays in the Election Commission publishing voting data online.
The EC hit back hard, criticising the Congress for making “baseless allegations… when faced with inconvenient electoral outcomes”, and warned it, and other parties, against “unfounded and sensational complaints” during an election, including when votes are cast and then counted.
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