BJP victory in Gujarat is because of EVMs, says Congress’ Sanjay Nirupam

Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam has called the electronic voting machines a big threat to democracy in India and blamed them for his party’s defeat in the Gujarat elections.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam today said the BJP’s victory in Gujarat was not because of the people in the state but because of EVMs.

Election observers inspecting the EVM (Electronic Voting Machines) at a distribution centre. (PTI)

He also termed electronic voting machines a “big threat to Indian democracy”.

“When the entire Gujarat was against the BJP and empty chairs could be seen during the Prime Minister’s poll rallies, this victory for the BJP is not by the people of Gujarat but by the EVMs.

Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam addressing to media at MRCC office, in Mumbai, India.

“We suspected this right from the beginning. All beware, this is a big threat to Indian democracy,” the president of the Mumbai unit of the Congress said in a tweet.

The former Lok Sabha MP also recalled an October 24 tweet in which he said the Congress will win 125-140 seats and the BJP only 40-47, contrary to opinion polls.

“I still stand by this tweet. This would have been the result if EVM would not have been tampered,” he said on Twitter.

The BJP is set to form government in Gujarat again with latest trends on the Election Commission showing the party ahead in 102 seats and the Congress in 74 seats.

In the last election result in 2012, the BJP won 115 seats and the Congress 61.