Ex-BJP ally RSP joins opposition chorus, blames EVMs for defeat in Maharashtra polls

RSP chief Mahadev Jankar alleged that his party's votes were transferred to Mahayuti candidates during the November 20 polls, which saw the ruling alliance record a landslide victory

The Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP), a former ally of the BJP-led Mahayuti, on Saturday joined the opposition parties in raising doubts about the electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the recently held Maharashtra elections.

RSP chief Mahadev Jankar alleged that his party's votes were transferred to Mahayuti candidates during the November 20 polls, which saw the ruling alliance record a landslide victory.

The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, won 230 out of 288 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) bagged 46 seats. Following the poll drubbing, the opposition parties have alleged irregularities in the functioning of EVMs and called for the use of ballot papers.

Talking to PTI, Jankar said, "EVMs can be hacked. I am also an engineer. If democracy has to be kept alive, we need to switch to paper ballots." He also alleged that the RSP votes got transferred to Mahayuti candidates.

Jankar claimed Sunil Bandgar, the party's candidate from the Akkalkot assembly seat, got zero votes from his village and questioned how the candidate could not get his own vote.

Bandgar received just 1,312 votes. As per the seat-sharing arrangement for the assembly polls, the BJP had left the Gangakhed seat for the RSP, but the party rejected the alliance. It fielded 93 candidates and won one seat.

Jankar had contested the Parbhani Lok Sabha seat as part of the NDA.