Javadekar hits out at opposition for raising questions on EVMs

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar slammed opposition parties for raising questions on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Javadekar further said that the BJP will register a landslide victory in the ongoing elections because of the Narendra Modi government's performance.

Jaipur (Rajasthan): Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday hit out at opposition parties for raising questions on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), stating that the parties praise EVMs when they win and blame the machines when they suffer defeat.

"After the first phase of elections, 21 parties have addressed a press conference and started making excuses of EVMs. In Mumbai, Naidu, Shinde and Sharad Pawar did a press conference for the same reason," the Union Minister said while addressing media here.

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"Chandrababu came to power because of EVMs. There are parties that formed governments in Kerala, West Bengal, Telangana and, Tamil Nadu. Congress also formed governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. When you win then EVMs are good, and when you are losing you blame EVMs," he said.

In a press conference held on Tuesday, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had alleged that EVMs are vulnerable to "hacking and programming errors", and urged the Election Commission (EC) to check all polling machines after elections.

Naidu had also alleged that Russian hackers were involved in hacking EVMs.

Javadekar further said that the BJP will register a landslide victory in the ongoing elections because of the Narendra Modi government's performance.

"After the conclusion of the third phase of elections, by which around 300 parliamentary constituencies have voted, the BJP is very sure that we are heading towards a historic win. It is the first time we are experiencing a pro-incumbency wave because of the performance of Modi-led government and Modi's leadership," he said.

"According to our analysis, Opposition has lost 6 per cent votes. They have lost it because of negative politics and negative thinking," he added.

Polling in the remaining 240 constituencies will be held in the next four phases of elections - on April 29, May 06, 12 and 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

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