Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu yet again announced a war on the EVM machines. He said the TDP will join all the political forces who were fighting the EVMs. One wonders what Chandrababu, the politician with 40 years experience, wants to convey with his war on EVMs. He said that ballot papers would be re-introduced in the local body elections.

When TDP was in the Opposition, Chandrababu opposed the use of EVM machines. He went on to host an exhibition on the EVMs. Later, the Election Commission filed a case in the matter.

The EC called on all the political parties who had doubts and queries over the usage of EVMs. But, Chandrababu, who proclaims to be a promoter of technology, did not send a representative of the TDP.

Chandrababu, who claimed to have discovered technology, is speaking against the misuse of technology in elections. In the two elections since 1999 that Chandrababu won, his current ally Congress also came to power. If it was true that there was a scope for misuse of the EVMs, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could have rectified the issue.

Back then, Chandrababu was part of the NDA. Later, in 2014, the TDP with the support of BJP came to power in AP. Even then, he had an opportunity to take the issue of EVM malpractice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's notice.

Now, after opting out of the NDA, the TDP chief is crying foul over the use of EVMs in elections. This time around, he is making the same allegations, not against the Congress but against BJP. In the recent Assembly elections in five States, the BJP lost in all the States, losing governments in three States. In Telangana too, the BJP lost four of its five seats.

Now that the TRS was elected to power, Chandrababu should clarify as to whom he was making the EVM charge against. Is he blaming the BJP? Or the TRS?

With the advent of the VVPATs, there is scope for investigating the details of every single vote. The EC officers would always rectify the minor issues in the machines.

Also, it is unclear as to why Chandrababu is the lone leader who raised doubts on the EVMs. While the Congress was victorious in three other States, it failed in Telangana. Barring a few Congress leaders in Telangana, not a lot of criticism on the EVMs was heard. The reason being the State leaders would need the High Command's consensus on making such allegations.

Interestingly, AP CM Chandrababu is making these allegations. Everyone is well aware of the rigging exercise in AP when the ballot papers were used. The possibility of rigging in EVMs can't be ruled out entirely, though it takes longer than the ballot papers. Parties which are in power would have more chances of indulging in rigging, keeping in view their control over the police department.

Ironically, Chandrababu is demanding the use of ballot papers after claiming to have created a digital boom in the State. Nevertheless, it is second nature to Chandrababu to do things quite contrary to his words.

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