Bahujan Samaj Party Stages Sit In In Ghaziabad, Allege Manipulation In Voting Machines

Scores of BSP workers today staged a sit in outside the district collectorate in Ghaziabad, alleging the BJP managed a stunning victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections by "tampering" electronic voting machines.

Addressing the party workers, BSP zonal coordinator Raj Singh said on one hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks about eradication of corruption but on the other, his party acquired absolute majority by "killing the democracy" and "manipulation of EVMs".

He said BSP president Mayawati had raised the matter soon after the election results and now all other parties were of the same opinion (alleged tampering in EVMs).

He alleged that votes in minorities dominated areas, which were considered BSP vote bank and from where Muslim candidates were in fray, going in favour of the BJP indicated "foul play" by the saffron party.

Notably, BSP chief Mayawati, whose party received a major drubbing in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, had alleged that the EVMs were tampered with in such a way that whichever button was pressed, the vote went to BJP soon after election results came out.

Terming the results as "shocking", she had said the Election Commission should stop the counting and withhold results and hold fresh polls using traditional paper ballots. She had said it was "unacceptable" that the BJP was winning even in Muslim-dominated areas.

"Muslims constitute 20 per cent votes in the state and the BJP did not give a single ticket to Muslims...but in Muslim-dominated seats also the results went in the BJP's favour and this is unpalatable to the party," Mayawati had said.

Mr Singh said BSP will continue its protest against the BJP government till the party is removed from power by public. The BSP has already filed a petition in the Supreme Court in this connection, he said, adding re-poll should be conducted in UP using ballot papers.