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Shiv Sena (UBT), in its mouthpiece Saamana, on Wednesday termed the ruling Mahayuti's landslide victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections as a "bumper lucky draw" and raised questions about the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The editorial stated, "EVM hai toh mumkin hai", implying that anything is possible with EVMs.
The article comes days after the Mahayuti coalition, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's faction of the NCP, secured an overwhelming 230 out of 288 seats in the November 20 state assembly elections. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), consisting of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), managed to win only 46 seats.
The editorial noted that while Elon Musk, the US-based billionaire, recently praised India's swift vote-counting process compared to the United States presidential elections, ordinary Indians remain "dumbstruck" by the workings of EVMs. It highlighted Musk's earlier statement suggesting EVMs could be hacked and linked it to the Mahayuti's unexpected and unprecedented win.
Saamana claimed the "Gujarat-Rajasthan connection" of the EVMs used in Maharashtra, irregularities in the voting and vote-count tally across 95 constituencies, and unexplained issues like the charging of EVM batteries, all strengthen suspicions of an "EVM scam."
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The editorial further criticised the results, suggesting that people across the country are questioning how the Mahayuti managed to garner such massive support. It called the coalition's win a "mystery" that requires deeper investigation.
The Sena (UBT) compared the results to winning a "lucky draw," with the editorial questioning, "How did the ruling Mahayuti win this bumper lucky draw of 230 out of 288 seats? When seeking answers, the thinking stops at the EVMs."
It reiterated concerns about discrepancies in several constituencies, alleging a mismatch between voter turnout figures and the actual votes counted. The party accused the ruling alliance of benefitting from potential manipulation, claiming these irregularities undermine public trust in the electoral process.
The Opposition has frequently expressed doubts about the reliability of EVMs, alleging the possibility of tampering. However, these claims have been consistently dismissed by the Election Commission and the BJP, which maintain that India's voting system is secure, transparent, and tamper-proof.
The Mahayuti coalition's stunning victory has amplified these concerns, particularly among Opposition leaders. Saamana's editorial has rekindled the debate over EVMs, adding that such issues erode the credibility of democratic institutions.
The editorial concluded by urging authorities to address the "EVM scam" allegations, arguing that a failure to do so would leave citizens disillusioned about the fairness of the electoral process.
The ruling Mahayuti has yet to respond to the allegations raised by Saamana. However, BJP leaders have repeatedly dismissed Opposition claims about EVM manipulation as baseless and reflective of their inability to accept electoral defeat.
The Mahayuti's victory marks a decisive political shift in Maharashtra, dealing a major blow to the MVA, which has since struggled to explain its dismal performance. While the BJP and its allies attribute the results to strong public support, the Opposition remains steadfast in raising questions about the process.
(With inputs from PTI)
