Pune: Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) Prakash Ambedkar on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and the Election Commission of sabotaging the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha bypoll by tampering electronic voting machines (EVMs).
“The election authorities had tested all EVMs by May 22 and declared them to be tamper-proof. Then how is it possible for so many machines to break down in less than a week’s time?” asked Mr. Ambedkar, while alleging the election commission machinery of working at the behest of the ruling party [the BJP].
The BBM chief further alleged that most of these so-called machine breakdowns occurred in the tribal and Adivasi areas of Bhandara-Gondia.
“The Maharashtra BJP government, is attempting to put down the Adivasi candidate for the constituency. The voting process was scuppered in at least 35 centres, thus deliberately preventing the Adivasi voters from exercising their franchise,” he said.
Owing to the extreme temperatures, with the mercury touching 47 degree Celsius, Mr. Ambedkar said that maximum voting in the Bhandara and Gondia districts usually took place in the crucial morning hours.
“But due to this alleged ‘malfunctioning’ of EVMs, vital voting time was lost. We demand a re-election,” he said.
The BBM has fielded Adv. L.K. Madavi, a highly qualified and noted lawyer and author whose candidacy is in stark contrast to the career politicos fielded by the BJP and the NCP.
