UP: Call to ‘save democracy’ finds resonance; Opposition deploys cadres at counting centres ahead of counting

Amid the reports of alleged stealing of EVM machines at the behest of the BJP, a day before the counting of the UP-assembly polls, a call to ‘save the democracy’ given by Akhilesh Yadav found a strong resonance among Opposition parties.

After Akhilesh's call, several opposition parties including BSP, RLD, AIMIM have deployed their cadres - en masse - on the ground in order to prevent the ruling BJP from stealing the mandate.

Akhilesh on Tuesday said that the state elections were the last chance to save democracy and after this, people would have to launch a movement to bring about change.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) which enjoys considerable influence in western UP and which is one of the most important alliance partners of the Samajwadi Party, has directed its cadres to reach the counting centers in large numbers.

The peasant party has also asked its candidates, cadres and activists to press for the fair counting of ballot papers.

Talking to NH, a close associate of Jayant Chaudhary said ‘voters’ have been requested to safeguard the mandate.

“If the district administration tries to do something unwarranted at the behest of the government, consequences would be very serious”, said the RLD leader.

The RLD leadership believes that the ruling BJP government in Uttar Pradesh by misusing the machinery can manipulate the results.

Manipulation of ballot papers can be done very easily...that is why we have demanded that counting of the ballot box should be completed first, said Ashutosh, an aide to Jayant Chaudhary.

As per the norms, before the counting of the EVM votes, counting of the ballot papers should be completed. However, the final decision rests at the hands of the District Magistrates.

“We have asked our candidates and the local administration to finish the ballot box first as rigging can be done quickly with ballot box", added Ashutosh.

Inputs received from several cities in western UP suggest that Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) activists too have joined hands with the SP-RLD activists in order to protect the mandate. Several hundreds of BKU activists were seen roaming around counting centers at various places in western Uttar Pradesh.

The Uttar Pradesh state Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said that Congress party activists have been put on alert.

“Apart from polling agents, Congress activists have been asked to reach the counting centers in large numbers and keep vigil till the final results are announced,” said Ajay Kumar Lallu.

Not only the cadres but leaders and candidates are also keeping watch on EVMs for 24 hours by maintaining an eight-hour shift, NH has learned.

In Hastinapur constituency, Meerut Samajwadi candidate, Yogesh Verma was seen standing in an open jeep with binoculars to his eyes keeping a vigil at an EVM strong room.

His photographs with binoculars went viral yesterday.

When asked, Verma said, “What happened in West Bengal? Exit polls had said BJP would come to power but Didi (Mamata Banerjee) formed the government with full majority. Exit polls are wrong. And history shows that the Hastinapur MLA and chief minister of Uttar Pradesh have been of the same party.”