Stop misleading people about EVMs, accept poll mandate: Eknath Shinde tells Opposition

Maharashtra Deputy CM criticizes opposition for EVM allegations, urges acceptance of people's mandate for development work.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday (December 8, 2024) hit out at the opposition, accusing it of misleading people about electronic voting machines and not accepting their mandate.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Shinde said the ruling Mahayuti alliance won the November 20 Assembly polls because of its work, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi must accept the people's mandate and support the government in development works.

The Mahayuti combine of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP swept the recently held polls, winning 230 out of 288 seats, while the Opposition bloc of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) managed just 46 seats. The Opposition parties have alleged irregularities with EVMs for its poll losses and demanded the use of ballot papers.

Slamming the opposition, the Shiv Sena chief said, "When you win, there is no EVM scam, but the machine becomes bad when you lose. This is not the right approach." He said the opposition must accept the people's mandate that they have been decisively defeated.

People have shown the opposition its place and proved that they don't vote for those who sit at home, the deputy Chief Minister said.

"In the Lok Sabha elections, 2.48 crore votes went to the Mahayuti, which is 43.55%. The MVA polled 2.5 crore votes, which was 43.71%. Still, the opposition got 31 seats, and Mahayuti won 17. Should we say there was an EVM scam?" he asked.

Mr. Shinde said creating confusion about a democratically elected government was not good for democracy.