Verification of votes must for EVMs to be credible: Uddhav

Nagpur: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday questioned the credibility of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and demanded a mechanism be evolved whereby the voter can be sure his vote has gone to the party he voted for. Addressing a press conference on Friday, Uddhav said he supported all persons who wanted EVM to be either scrapped or made more credible.
The Sena leader was in Nagpur after a gap of three years to review his party’s performance in the ten parliamentary constituencies of Vidarbha.

“When a voter stamped a ballot paper he was sure the vote went to the party he had voted for. However, this is not the case with EVMs. It is therefore a big question mark on democracy. A large number of people have started feeling the election result were contrary to the will of the people,” Thackeray further said.

Commenting on Nanar refinery, Uddhav said he was against the project because it would destroy the environment of Konkan. “If people of Vidarbha want the project here we will support the demand. A suitable spot should be found,” he further said environmentally damaging projects like Enron power plant, Jaitapur nuclear plant, etc were being forcibly set up in Konkan.

On Bhandara-Gondia parliamentary by-polls, Uddhav said he would take a decision in coming two to three days. “It will depend on what stand other parties take in Palghar. We want all parties to support Shriniwas, son of late Chintaman Vanga. We are supporting the sons and daughters of deceased leaders everywhere. So we expect reciprocation,” he added.

On the review meetings he held all day on Friday, Thackeray said the feedback from his party leaders indicated Shiv Sena would form a government of its own in 2019 assembly elections. “We have decided to contest the elections separately and our national executive has decided not to have an alliance with BJP. The people are with us and we do not need anybody’s help,” he said.

Asked about huge backlog of Vidarbha, Uddhav said this question should be asked to finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, both of whom are from Vidarbha.