Election defeats have hit BJP, may look for new allies: Naqvi
Panaji, June 3 : Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi admitted on Sunday that recent electoral reverses have affected the BJP and that it will look for new allies if needed ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Asked whether the Bharatiya Janata Party would need the support of allies, especially regional outfits, for the general elections, Naqvi said the BJP was committed to alliance partners right from the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"We are completely committed to the federal system. Therefore we would like our allies to stay with us. If we need more allies, we will look for new allies. We have not put up a 'no entry' sign," Naqvi said.
He said that the allies who had left the ruling National Democratic Alliance in recent times could also return to the fold.
On the defeat of BJP candidates in recently by-elections in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states, Naqvi said: "If I say that the by-election defeat has not impacted us, it would be wrong."
But the losses would help the BJP to deal with the "unholy and anarchist" alliances more strongly and effectively, he added.
"When you are on the battlefield and you understand the tactics and strategy of your opponents, it is easier to contest. We have the experience (of bypolls) now and it will make it easier for us (to strategize and win)."
The Union Minister, who was in Goa for the 'Transforming India' campaign, also expressed concern about the farmers' agitations across the country, saying there were issues related to the agriculture sector which needed to be addressed.
"We have to address and solve the issues. Therefore, we cannot say that in four years we will solve all the past problems. Yes, still some challenges are there. But we will correct the challenges and solve the problems," Naqvi said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
