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  Metros   Mumbai  25 May 2019  Fix issues plaguing EVMs: NCP to govt

Fix issues plaguing EVMs: NCP to govt

THE ASIAN AGE.
Published : May 25, 2019, 2:44 am IST
Updated : May 25, 2019, 2:44 am IST

The NCP state president said people would lose faith in the election process in the absence of such transparency.

Jayant Patil
 Jayant Patil

Mumbai: Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Jayant Patil on Friday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Lok Sabha victory, but also called for a permanent solution to EVM-related issues to ensure poll transparency.

The NCP state president said people would lose faith in the election process in the absence of such transparency. Mr Patil’s comments come a day after NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said he accepted the mandate gracefully and that he would not blame the EVMs following the result.

Mr Patil also termed the poll outcome “shocking” and added that the party is analysing the details. However, he added the NCP has accepted the people’s mandate.

The NCP leader tweeted, “Several instances of EVMs related irregularities have come to the fore. There is a need to find a permanent solution to this. People will lose faith in the election process
in case it is not transparent.”

He said, “The people are sovereign, supreme in a democracy. We accept the mandate given by the people. Congratulations to Narendra Modi for registering incredible victory by securing public mandate.”

Mr Patil alleged that several attempts were made to hurt India’s Constitution, secularism and cultural diversity in the last five years.

He said his party had hoped to win 9 to 12 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, but ultimately managed to bag only four, apart from one in Lakshadweep.

Speaking to reporters, the NCP leader said Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti’s defeat from the Hatkanangale seat was “shocking”.

He said that the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, (VBA),  did affect the performance of the Congress and NCP at “some places” in the state.

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