Mayawati hopes BSP will bounce back on revival of paper ballots

Lucknow, June 5 (IANS) Seeking the re-introduction of paper ballot, Bahujan Samaj Party National President Mayawati on Thursday blamed the alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for her party’s recent diminishing electoral success. 

“Most of the opposition parties, including our party, want that all the small and big elections in the country should be conducted through ballot papers like before. But this is not possible under the current government,” said Mayawati, in her address to media persons.

Looking to revitalise her party cadre in the backdrop of recent electoral reverses, Mayawati said, “A change of regime is on the cards in the country and this will surely bring back ballot papers. Therefore, BSP workers need not feel disheartened and should remain focused on strengthening the organisation.”

She said anti-Dalit forces have joined hands with other parties to weaken the BSP and manipulate EVMs to prevent party candidates from winning elections.

“Considering the prevailing political mood in the country, the EVM-related voting system can change at any moment, and all elections will be conducted using paper ballots. The return of paper ballots would also bring back good times for the BSP,” said Mayawati.

The Dalit leader also trained her guns on forces which, she claimed, were trying to mislead BSP workers and supporters and weaken forces devoted to the welfare of the marginalised sections.

In a subtle reference to the exit of former BSP MP from Bijnor, Malook Nagar, in April, Mayawati said the Dalits would never benefit even if opportunist leaders – who work at the behest of parties like the Congress, BJP and Samajwadi Party – become MPs, MLAs or ministers.

Without naming the emerging Dalit leader from Uttar Pradesh, Changrashekhar Azad of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), Mayawati also alerted voters against opportunistic organisations and leaders who “misuse” the names of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram as part of a conspiracy to split Dalit votes, ultimately benefiting other parties.