Kharge urges return to ballot

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge today called for a campaign on the lines of Bharat Jodo Yatra for return of ballot paper and do away with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The Congress president’s announcement comes at a time when the Opposition parties are alleging large scale rigging of EVMs in recently held Maharashtra elections. The Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was decimated in the state elections by the hands of BJP-led Mahayuti.

In the 288 member Maharashtra Assembly, Mahayuti has secured 230 seats which left the legislature without an opposition leader.

“We don’t want elections through EVMs. We want elections through ballot papers. Just like we had carried out the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, we will run a nationwide campaign for elections using ballot papers,” Kharge said. The Congress chief alleged that some people praise the Constitution, but only superficially and they are undermining it.

“To protect the Constitution, Rahul Gandhi ji launched the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and to save democracy, all minorities came forward, which is why we were able to stop PM Modi,” he said, noting that the ruling government is not a majority one, which is standing with the support of TDP’s TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu, and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. “This government will fall if anyone withdraws support,” Kharge asserted.