‘My Vote For NCP Went To BJP’: Sharad Pawar Comes Up With Another EVM Conspiracy Theory

NCP Chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday (9 May) claimed that his vote went to the BJP even after pressing NCP symbol on the electronic voting machine (EVM). The accusation follows the recent plea filed by the opposition parties with Supreme Court, on having more random matchings of VVPAT slips and EVMs - reports News18.

Speaking to media, he said "I am also concerned about the machine. In Hyderabad and Gujarat, some people kept an EVM before me and asked me to press a button. I pressed the button against 'watch' (the NCP's symbol), and the vote got cast in favour of 'lotus' (the BJP's symbol). I saw it happening myself."

He also alleged that the EVM machines are prone to manipulation and the EC should look into it, while maintained that not all the EVMs function that way.

A few days ago, Pawar had similarly peddled another conspiracy theory in which he alleged that EVMs can be controlled by towers present outside the polling booths.

The NCP and 20 opposition parties approached the Apex court again with a filing to increase the sampling of five polling booths to at least 50 per cent of all booths. The opposition previously approached the same court asking for an increase of random matching of EVMs to VVPAT slips from one booth per assembly seat to five.