The Congress on Wednesday said it would soon launch a signature campaign demanding that future elections should be conducted on ballot paper, instead of electronic voting machines.
Maharashtra unit Congress president Nana Patole said that nobody believes the results of the recent assembly election and “there is a feeling in all quarters that something has seriously gone wrong”.
“The Constitution has given all citizens a right to vote. But now the people suspect that the votes they cast doesn’t go to the intended candidate, but ends up elsewhere. We will launch the signature drive respecting the sentiments of the masses,” Patole said.
The signatures, collected from millions of people in all districts, cities, towns and villages, will be submitted to the President, chief justice of India, prime minister and Election Commission of India, Patole said.
Patole added that on Tuesday, on the occasion of Constitution Day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had announced the launch of a mass movement – on the lines of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s two Bharat Jodo Yatras – demanding ballot paper voting.
“Both the Bharat Jodo Yatras received tremendous response in Maharashtra. Saving democracy is the responsibility of all the people. The Congress had fought for the country’s Independence, and it was after such public movements that the British rule ended after 150 years,” said Patole.
The Congress leader was flanked by top leaders including newly-elected candidates and defeated nominees like Prithviraj Chavan, Vijay Balasaheb Thorat, Vijay Wadettiwar, M Arif Naseem Khan, Muzaffar Hussain, Nitin Raut, Aslam Shaikh, Amit Deshmukh, Amin Patel, newly elected MP from Nanded Ravindra Chavan and others.
The Congress has also moved a resolution authorising Kharge to take decisions pertaining to the appointment of Congress Legislative Party Leader, group leaders and the chief whip in the new house.
Meanwhile, Mahayuti leaders criticised the opposition for calling for a return to paper ballots.
Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said, “When the opposition wins, they never raise concerns about the EVMs. Were the machines faulty during the elections in Karnataka, Jharkhand or even the Lok Sabha elections? Why is there an outcry now that they’ve lost?”
BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule also joined in, pointing out, “During the last Lok Sabha elections, when 33 MPs were elected, there were no complaints from the opposition. The MVA should accept their defeat and reflect on their performance.”
Ajit Pawar echoed the sentiments of Shinde and Bawankule, emphasizing, “The Supreme Court has ruled on this matter, and its verdict supports the use of EVMs. Just because a party loses doesn't mean the EVM is at fault. We did not blame the EVMs when we were defeated in the Lok Sabha elections. These machines have been in use for years.”
