Ahead of Maharashtra polls, Opposition plans rally for voting by ballot paper

The opposition intends to mobilise support from the citizenry for their cause, by making them sign memorandums for reintroduction of the paper ballot system. The citizen’s memorandums along with petitions from the Opposition will be submitted to the state election commission.

All opposition parties in Maharashtra will hold a massive demonstration against Electronic Voting Machines (EVM’s) and demand switching over to the paper ballot system on August 21.

All opposition parties in Maharashtra will hold a massive demonstration against Electronic Voting Machines (EVM’s) on August 21, 2019. (HT Photo)

The opposition also intends to mobilise support from the citizenry for their cause, by making them sign memorandums for reintroduction of the paper ballot system. The citizen’s memorandums along with petitions from the Opposition will be submitted to the state election commission.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s Raj Thackeray made it abundantly clear that the political parties aimed to turn their opposition to EVMs into a people’s movement.

“There will be no names of political parties, neither their flags in this agitation. This is the march of the people who want transperancy in the electoral system,” said Thackeray, who seems to be leading this joint opposition effort in the state.

Thackeray said that the BJP and the Shiv Sena should have also participated in this mission.

A galaxy of top opposition party leaders like Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal of NCP, Balasaheb Thorat who heads the Congress in Maharashtra, Raju Shetti of Swabhimaan Shetkari Sanghatana, Jayant Patil of Peasants and Workers Party and Sudhir Sawant of AAP took part in the media conference.

Thackeray has been meeting top leaders like Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to seek their support for replacing EVMs with ballot paper system.