NCP(SP) MLA claims ‘EVM tampering’ behind Mahayuti win; immature comments: BJP

Mumbai, Dec 29 (PTI) NCP (SP) lawmaker Uttam Jankar on Sunday alleged that the Mahayuti coalition won the Maharashtra assembly polls due to “EVM tampering”, a claim the BJP dismissed as “immature”.

Talking to a Marathi news channel, Jankar, who won from the Malshiras assembly constituency in Solapur district, also claimed that Deputy Chief Minister and NCP head Ajit Pawar lost the Baramati seat by 20,000 votes.

As per the Election Commission, Ajit Pawar defeated NCP (SP) candidate and his nephew Yugendra Pawar in Baramati, the home turf of the Pawar family, by over 1 lakh votes.

Jankar's claims were rubbished by BJP leader Pravin Darekar. He said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which comprises NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, is yet to recover from its poll debacle.

Jankar claimed that as per “actual” results, 77 seats have gone to the BJP, 12 to NCP and 18 to Shiv Sena and 3 to Independents. The Mahayuti of BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena won the polls due to “EVM (electronic voting machine) tampering”, he said.

“Jankar’s comments are immature. He should substantiate them with facts,” Darekar said.

In the recently held assembly polls, Mahayuti won 230 of the 288 assembly seats. While the BJP pocketed 132 seats, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 57 and NCP bagged 41 seats.

By sharp contrast, MVA was reduced to only 46 seats. Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) won 10, while Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) and Congress got only 20 and 16 seats respectively. PTI