EVM row: BJP slams Opposition for not accepting defeat 'gracefully'

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], Mar. 17 (ANI): Taking a jibe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati for making false allegations on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering row, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said it feels nothing but pity on them for facing such defeat. "The opposition party does not have the grace to accept the defeat in the recent Assembly election. Instead of introspecting into their loss they are making lame excuses and accusing BJP of false allegation like EVM have been tampered," BJP leader S Prakash told ANI. Further slamming the Opposition, Prakash asserted that the Election Commission has rightly clarified that the EVM can't be tampered in any form, which made their entire argument null and void. "This speaks very low about the opposition's spirit in accepting their set back. The Election Commission of India has rightly clarified that the EVM cannot be tampered in any form, so why is the opposition prolonging this further. My sympathies are with Mayawati, Arvind Kherjwal and all those who support them," said Prakash. Earlier, the Election Commission said that given effective technical and administrative safeguards, EVMs aren't tamperable and integrity of electoral process is preserved. On March 11, Mayawati put the onus on the EVMs for her loss in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, saying the machine accepted votes only in favour of the BJP. Supporting the same, Kejriwal alleged that the EVMs were tampered during the recently conducted assembly polls in the five states which ultimately resulted in his party's dismal show especially in Punjab. Kejriwal suggested that the Election Commission needs to relook at the use of EVMs in the electoral process until faith is restored in it. (ANI)