Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday alleged that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were tampered during the recently conducted assembly polls in the five states which ultimately resulted in his party's dismal show especially in Punjab and Goa. Here are some remarkable things he said at the press conference where he blamed everything except AAP for the chastening loss:
“Many said that there is anger against Akalis & AAP is sweeping polls, still AAP got 25% votes & SAD got 31%, how is it possible?”
Perhaps Kejriwal shouldn’t believe what ‘many’ said.
"People who tamper EVMs, they should answer why they didn't do so in Delhi & Bihar?"
Asked what explains AAP's stunning victory in 2015 polls in Delhi, Kejriwal said that it may have got to do with BJP's "over-confidence" that it would clinch a victory. "So they may not have indulged in tampering. The same would explain the victory of JD(U)-RJD in Bihar. Even then BJP was very sure of winning the state," he said.
“We know it is too late to declare Punjab, Goa elections void but this is for future, faith has to be restored in electoral process. Supreme Court has said that EVM is vulnerable to tampering, we aren't saying it. I know you will all make fun of me, hash tag me.”
Clutching at straws?
“25-30%of AAP's vote was transferred to SAD so Congress won election. They wanted AAP to lose any which way. Our vote share went to Akalis & Cong won in Punjab. Akali's victory would've made it too obvious. They only wanted to keep AAP out.”
Really imaginative thinking from AAP chief.
“We accept the results of Goa elections”
Goa was the first state where all assembly constituencies were covered by VVPAT (Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail) machines. And there, AAP lost their deposits in 38 out of 39 seats, and failed to register a single win.
“Sir aapkay Pronnoy Roy nay kaha, Shekhar Gupta ney tweet kia kii Majha mey AAP ka wave hai, saaray keh rahe the” (Your Pronnoy Roy and Shekhar Gupta had said that AAP will win in Majha)
Even esteemed journalists can get predictions wrong, as we saw during Brexit and Trump’s win in the USA. If they already knew who was winning, what would be the point of elections?
“We conducted a survey of various electoral booths in Punjab. For example, in booth number 103 in Sujanpur, village Gosaipur, we got only two votes. We had five volunteers there and they have 27 family members who are even ready to take oath they had voted. So, where have their votes gone' There are various other booths as well where we have got two or three votes only”
And there lies the peril of internal surveys and believing that your volunteers’ family members voted for you.
