Rubbishing the exit polls that have predicted the return of the NDA at the Centre as “just exit polls, not exact polls”, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday raised concerns over the possibility of misuse of EVMs by the ruling party.
Questioning the credibility of EVMs used in the Lok Sabha elections, he stated that the outcome of the exit polls have reiterated the serious concerns of Opposition parties on misuse of vulnerable EVMs for electoral gains by the ruling party.
“The entire Opposition had expressed concern over the credibility of the EVMs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule. The Opposition parties even knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court asking for a traditional ballot paper election to avoid defective EVMs that are vulnerable to fraud,” the Chief Minister said in a series of tweets on Monday, a day after multiple exit polls predicted a poor performance of the JD(S)-Congress coalition in the State. He said, “Worldwide, even developed countries, have opted for traditional polls through paper ballot.”
In another tweet, he said, “Exit polls are being used to create an impression that there is still a Modi wave in the country. This artificially engineered or manufactured Modi wave is being used by the BJP to lure regional parties well in advance to fill any shortfall after the results on May 23.” The entire exercise was an effort to create false impression of a wave in favour of one particular leader and the party. As they say, it is just an exit poll, not exact poll, he added.
However, the BJP leaders reacted sharply to the tweets saying they were made out of frustration of losing the polls.
CM to participate in protest in Delhi
Mr. Kumaraswamy is learnt to have decided to participate in the protest over the VVPATs issue in New Delhi on Tuesday, along with other Opposition leaders.
According to sources close to the Chief Minister, he would also meet Congress top leader Sonia Gandhi on the same day along with other Opposition leaders.
