Karnataka’s chief minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Prameshwara have expressed suspicion over the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh wherein the BJP managed to defeat Congress.
“Going by the outcome of the elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the doubt and suspicion over tampering of EVMs still lingers in one’s mind,” Siddaramaiah said.
Responding to questions by presspersons here on Monday, he said “The results, despite anti-incumbency factor against the BJP government, especially in the wake of people unhappy with the impact of GST and demonetisation, corroborates with the doubt over likely tampering of EVMs.”
Mr. Siddaramaiah was also of the view that Prime Minister Narendra Modi playing the emotional card that he is a Gujarati and seeks blessings of Gujaratis, instead of talking of development, on one hand and Congress leaders Shankarsinh Vagela and 18 MLAs quitting the party before election was among other reasons for the Congress not winning more seats. However, going by the outcome of polls, the party had fared better and the popularity of AICC President had also been enormous, he felt.
Although he congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the BJP’s victory, he reiterated that Mr. Modi’s popularity has come down. If there was popularity, Mr. Modi had to have made a clean sweep in both States. “We gained more percentages of votes than BJP in spite of continuous campaign by Mr. Modi and Amit Shah, BJP national president, spending huge money”. He said that lack of networking and strong leadership may have caused Congress’s defeat in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, Parameshwara said that he too suspects the authenticity of EVMs. He said it has been proved by an American university that EVMs can be manipulated, tampered and data can be entered through cell phones. “Until EVMs become foolproof they should not be used.”
Speaking to reporters at Kora in Tumakuru district on Monday, he said that his party would take a decision shortly on requesting the Election Commission to use ballot papers instead of EVMs in the coming Assembly election in Karnataka.
He also said that the election result in Gujarat shows that the Congress has improved its position there. He said that campaigning by president of All India Congress Committee Rahul Gandhi has helped the Congress to gain more seats in that State. “Compared to the previous 2-3 elections, our performance is better in Gujarat.”
Speaking about Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Parameshwara said that the Congress was ruling the State for the past 15 years and it is quite natural that there will be an anti-incumbency wave which has affected the results.
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