Have heard voters pressed SP symbol, but votes went to BJP: Akhilesh on EVM row

Giving a fresh blow to the controversy surrounding the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) alleged tampering, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said he had heard the voters pressed on the symbol of the Samajwadi Party, but the votes went into the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) basket.

Further raising doubts on the EVMs, Akhilesh demanded to conduct poll on ballot papers.

"It was being said that symbol of the Samajwadi Party (SP) was pressed but votes went to the BJP. We have complained about the issue to the Election Commission because after all, it is a machine and can give faulty results," Akhilesh said while addressing a press conference here.

The Samajwadi Party president continued his tirade against the Yogi Adityanath-led state government and made sardonic remarks on various issues such as anti-Romeo squads, ban on cow slaughter etc.

Earlier on Friday, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said she was ready to join hands with other political parties to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the issue of EVM tampering in the recent Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

"The BSP now has no reservations in taking the help of anti-BJP parties in its fight against EVM tampering and the BJP as it is the democracy which comes first...we have to keep democracy alive," she said while addressing an Ambedkar anniversary function of the party in Lucknow.

Mayawati had raised the issue of EVM tampering after recent Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Other political parties have also raised questions about the EVMs.

Irked by the charges, the Election Commission (EC) challenged sceptics to prove that EVMs can be tampered with.