Akhilesh Yadav resorting to gimmicks ahead of counting of votes in UP, says Keshav Prasad Maurya

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 8 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Tuesday slammed Akhilesh Yadav over his allegations cocnerning tampering of EVMs and said the Samajwadi Party chief was afraid of results and preparing press note of party's defeat before the counting of votes on Thursday.
"Instead of welcoming fair and peaceful elections, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is preparing a press note before the counting of votes to be released for the media after the party's defeat. SP's defeat will be due to its misdeeds when it was in power," he said in a tweet.
"All the so-called big leaders of the SP alliance have lost the elections. Stop gimmicks before counting of votes. Election Commission allows all candidates to guard EVM machines. UP is now with that party's government which is against casteism, rioters, hooliganism, and dynasty politics," he added.
Maurya said BJP is saving democracy from "dynast politicians".
"Akhilesh Yadav, a symbol of dynasty politics, talking of revolution to save democracy from the fear of defeat is simply ridiculous. Only BJP is doing the work of saving democracy from the so-called dynast politicians," he added.
Maurya said democracy has survived and will survive and "Samajwadi Party and goondaism" will be defeated.
Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday alleged "tampering with electronic voting machines" saying BJP was scared as his party was winning Ayodhya. He urged Election Commission to look into the issue.
"Samajwadi Party is winning Ayodhya that is why BJP is scared. Election Commission officials tampering with EVMs," he claimed at a press conference.
He also alleged that EVMs had been tranported in Varanasi without information to local candidates.
"Exit polls want to create a perception that BJP is winning. This is the last fight for democracy. EVM is being transported without being informed to candidates. We need to be alert if EVMs are being transported this way. This is theft. We need to save our votes. We may go to court against it but before that, I want to appeal to people to save the democracy," he said.
The SP chief also made similar allegations in a tweet.
"The reports of EVM being caught (transported) in Varanasi is a message to be alert in every constituency. To deal with any attempt of cheating during counting of votes, the candidates of Samajwadi Party and its allies should stay ready with their cameras. The youth should become soldiers during counting for the sake of democracy and their future," he said.
The voting for seventh and last phase of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh were held on Monday.
The exit polls have predicted BJP getting a comfortable majority in the state. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)