Congress Will Withdraw from Elections Unless EVMs Are Substituted with Ballot Papers: Veteran MLA Sparks Controversy
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Raipur, Nov 28 (NationPress) The ongoing debate regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) took a new turn on Thursday as five-time Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma insisted on a 'reversion' to ballot papers to ensure free and fair elections. Taking a firmer stance than party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s previous objections to EVMs, he declared that Congress would withdraw from forthcoming elections unless EVMs are replaced with ballot papers.
“The Congress party will not participate in future elections unless EVMs are eliminated and voting is conducted using ballot papers,” Kawasi Lakhma told reporters.
“We intend to engage with our allies in the INDIA bloc to advocate for the elimination of EVMs and the adoption of ballot papers. Kharge ji has already highlighted concerns about EVM manipulation, and we are committed to launching a robust campaign against it,” stated Kawasi Lakhma, the five-time legislator representing the Konta constituency.
Lakhma’s remarks follow Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s expressed 'discontent' towards EVMs, as he stated, “We do not want EVMs; we want ballot papers.”
Kharge, while speaking at the Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyaan in the national capital, reiterated the call for a shift from EVMs to ballot papers and outlined the party's plans for a significant campaign akin to the Bharat Jodo Yatra to advocate for this transition.
This vocal opposition to EVMs by the former Chhattisgarh cabinet minister is significant, as it has been echoed by various Congress leaders.
From North to South, Congress leaders have frequently blamed the 'susceptible' machines for the party’s electoral losses in states, including the most recent defeats in Haryana and Maharashtra.
The BJP has swiftly ridiculed the historic party for questioning the credibility of EVMs.
In response to the assertions made by the prominent Congress figure from Chhattisgarh, the BJP’s social media remarked, “When they lose, they complain about EVMs, and when they win, it’s all fine... It’s not EVMs; it’s Congress' intentions that are flawed.”
Previously, mocking Kharge’s call for a switch to EVMs, the BJP claimed that such demands were an affront to the Congress party itself.
“The issue does not lie with the machine (EVM). The issue resides with the (Congress) leadership. The EVM is adequate; it’s Rahul who is the problem. Replace Rahul, not EVM,” a spokesperson from the BJP stated.
