NEW DELHI: Close on the heels of J&K CM Omar Abdullah questioning Congress for its inconsistent stance on EVMs, another INDIA bloc partner, TMC, has disengaged itself from the leading opposition party’s carping against the voting machines.
“People who raise questions on EVMs should go and show a demo to EC. If work is done properly at the time of EVM randomisation and people at the booth verify during mock polls and counting, then I don’t think there is any substance to these allegations,” TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee told reporters here, in what marked a strong endorsement of EC’s claim about the voting machines being rigging proof.
“If someone still feels that EVMs can be hacked, then they should meet EC, and show how that can be done… Nothing can be done by just making random statements,” he added. TMC has been consistently winning elections against powerful opponents: BJP and once-dominant Left.
The divergence of INDIA bloc partners with Congress’s stand is the second big instance of dissonance in the coalition. SP, TMC and NCP(SP) have already publicly expressed reservations about Congress’s continuing attacks over the Modi govt’s alleged links with the Adani group.
Omar’s statement on Sunday said, “When you get hundred-plus MPs using the same EVMs and you celebrate that as sort of a victory for your party, you can’t then a few months later turn around and say… we don’t like these EVMs because now the election results aren’t going the way we would like them to,” he had said.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore asked J&K CM why has he changed his approach towards INDIA bloc partners after his win. Parties such as SP, NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) have spoken against EVMs while Congress is focused on EC. “Please check your facts, Abdullah. Congress Working Committee resolution clearly addresses EC only. Why this approach to our partners after becoming CM?” he asked.
BJP swiftly latched on to the contradictions among its opponents, with party spokesperson Sambit Patra taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, saying if he doesn’t know how to fight elections, he should not blame EVMs.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, “Whenever Congress loses polls, instead of introspecting, it blames someone else… When they form govts in Karnataka and Jharkhand, there is no problem with EVMs, but when they lose Maharashtra, they blame EVMs,” he said, terming the Congress’s remarks on EVMs as “selective criticism”.