Sharad supports Maya on EVMs

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav today supported BSP supremo Mayawati's demand to probe EVMs used in the recent UP assembly polls, saying it would not be good for democracy if this issue is not addressed.
"There is a question mark on EVMs today. Mayawatiji has claimed that EVMs were responsible for her defeat... We must set up an inquiry committee on this," Yadav said in Rajya Sabha while participating in a short duration debate on electoral reforms.
Soon after the UP assembly poll results were announced, the BSP chief had accused the BJP of murdering democracy and said tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was responsible for her party's poor showing.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are not widely used across the world, he said, adding it is used in some parts of the US and Europe.
On Mayawati's demand, Yadav said "some steps need to be taken. I know you (BJP) have won UP elections. If we probe, we get to know if you have won elections in a transparent way."
The JD(U) leader said a four-time chief minister has raised this issue and it needs to be addressed seriously. "If we do not address her concern, it is not good for democracy."
Stating that contesting election has become an expensive affair, he said so much expenditure is incurred that in future "people like (Ram Manohar) Lohia and Atal Bihari Vajpayee would not come to Parliament".

"This phase is dangerous to democracy," he said and shared that that the ruling party had used 70-80 helicopters during the recent assembly elections.