Congress supports Mayawati's demand for probe into EVMs

 The Congress today supported BSP leader Mayawati's demand for a probe into EVMs used in the UP Assembly polls and asked the Election Commission to seriously look into her charges.

"A senior leader of an opposition party, Mayawatiji has raised serious and pertinent questions about the integrity of the entire democratic process as also the EVMs used in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

"Whether her doubts are founded or unfounded, it is a matter to be addressed by EC in order to erase all doubts about the integrity, honesty and impartiality of the electoral process which is intrinsic to uphold the democratic traditions of our country," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

He added that, "We are certain that the EC will look at any objections and clarify any doubt in public domain as raised by Mayawatiji."

Surjewala said the Congress has with an open heart congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and the BJP for their resounding victory in UP and Uttarakhand.

BSP chief Mayawati, whose party received a major drubbing in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, alleged that Electronic Voting Machines were tampered with in such a way that whichever button was pressed, the vote went to the BJP.

Terming the results as "shocking", she said the EC should stop the counting and withhold results and hold fresh polls using traditional paper ballots.

She dared Modi and Shah to ask the poll panel to hold fresh elections in the state "if they have an iota of morality and honesty left in them".

Mayawati said this trend will have a "very bad bearing" on democracy in the country and will amount to crushing it.

"The results in UP and Uttarakhand are surprising and not palatable to anyone...it seems EVMs did not accept votes polled for any party other than BJP," she said.

"It is a matter of common discussion here that even if button is pressed for any other party, vote will be polled in favour of BJP," Mayawati said.