BJP questioned EVMs first: Siddu

Bengaluru: As the debate over EVMs hotted up, former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said it was BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao who has authored a book questioning about electronic voting machines 10 years ago and party veteran L K Advani had written the preface of it.

In a tweet in Kannada, Siddaramaiah wrote, “BJP was the first to raise doubts about the EVMs. The spokesperson of that party had even written a book. Supporting the doubt, L K Advani had written the preface of the book. What’s the reason behind BJP’s change in stand in the last 10 years?”

The book ‘Democracy at risk due to EVMs’ was written by Rao, a psephologist-turned politician, after 2009 elections.

A poster Siddaramaiah tweeted says, “Concerns about EVMs are legitimate when raised by BJP!”

His tweet came in the backdrop of six posers by BJP national president Amit Shah to theopposition parties led by Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for raising doubts about the sanctity of EVMs.
In his tweets, Shah condemned those questioning the EVMs saying that opposing EVMs is an insult to the voters. By questioning the EVMs the 22 parties shaken with the possible loss were tarnishing the image of the country, he said.

Shah also questioned the political parties why did they assume power who were elected through EVMs and were now questioning its authenticity.

As many as 21 political parties Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission asking it to first count the five VVPATs and tally with the EVMs before proceeding with the counting process for the Lok Sabha polls.

However, the EC turned down their plea.