Congress habitual of blaming EVMs: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday said the Congress party is habitual of putting blame of defeat on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader's comments came after the Congress blamed some EVMs in Porbandar, Surat, Jetpur and Navsari were linked to Bluetooth.

Singh said the Congress' allegations were on the very predictable pattern that is being followed by the Congress party from the last few elections.

"The only difference this time around is that whether it was Delhi Municipal Corporation or Uttar Pradesh elections they would start finding fault with the functioning of the EVMs only when the results would start coming out. And, every time they would face the accusation of finding the fault with the EVMs after the results were announced," Singh said.

He further added that this time they (Congress) have grown wiser and smarter and started accusing the EVM machines even before the results are announced to face the imminent defeat that they are going to see on December 18.

"So, they have now pre-emptively graduated from one level of accusing malfunctioning to higher level. But, that itself is a confession or admission of the fact that they are going to face defeat on December 18. They have now started preparing a ground much before the results are announced," said the MoS in the Prime Minister's Office.

The first phase of polling is being held in 89 assembly constituencies of Saurashtra and South Gujarat. There are 977 candidates in the fray. 57 of them are women candidates.

The polling began at 8 a.m. and will continue till 5 p.m.

Security has been beefed up in the state to ward off any untoward incidents and to maintain law and order. CCTV cameras have also been installed for effective monitoring and surveillance.

Prominent candidates in the fray include Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who is contesting from Rajkot (West), along with Congress' Shaktisinh Gohil and Paresh Dhanani.

The second phase will be held on December 14 for 93 assembly constituencies. Counting of votes and the results would be announced together on December 18.