'Ajit Pawar lost by 20,000 votes; Mahayuti won just 107 seats': NCP (SP) MLA repeats doubts over EVMs

NCP (SP) MLA and legislator from Malshiras constituency in Maharashtra  Uttamrao Jankar on Sunday repeated his claim that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were compromised, bizarrely claiming that Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar had indeed lost from Baramati constituency by 20,000 votes. 

Jankar added there were discrepancies in the results of 150 constituencies in the recently conducted Assembly elections. He spoke to reporters after visiting NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar at Baramathi on Sunday. He said that he would bring this issue to the attention of Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, and the Election Commission. 

The MLA further added that only 12 MLAs of Ajit Pawar have been elected in this state. "While only 18 MLAs of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won, the BJP only got 77 seats. Even with 2-3 Independents, the Mahayuti only has 107 members," Jankar said. 

Jankar said he had studied this in detail and cited he had details of the vote share each candidate got in Baramati and Man Assembly Constituencies where Ajit Pawar and BJP's Jayakumar Gore won, respectively. "The records are that Gore won by over 50,000 votes. However, 30,000 of his votes are from the opposition candidates. Which means that he lost by over 10,000 votes," Jankar said. 

He also demanded that the receipt that comes out of the VVPAT should be given to the voters, who can put it in the box with their own hands.

Earlier too, Jankar had claimed that the Mahayuti won the Assembly elections solely due to the EVMs and VVPATs. He had expressed willingness to resign and called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the reelection of the ballot paper.

"I am ready to resign if the Election Commission promises to hold the election through ballot papers. That is my condition for putting in my resignation," Jankar said.

The MLA last week made arrangements to hold a mock election with ballot papers alleging that the EVM gave undue advantage to BJP candidate Ram Satpute. However, the district administration foiled the attempt.