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Lok Sabha elections 2019: Cong workers keep vigil at EVM strongrooms across Gurugram

Gurugram | ByHT Correspondent
May 23, 2019 01:14 AM IST

Party leaders said their workers are keeping a watch at three places where counting will be held in Gurugram, Mewat and Rewari, and in other places across the state to ensure there is no tampering or swapping of the EVMs.

The Congress on Wednesday said it has already deployed workers outside counting centres to keep a strict vigil to prevent any malpractice during the counting of votes on Thursday. Party leaders said their workers are keeping a watch at three places where counting will be held in Gurugram, Mewat and Rewari, and in other places across the state to ensure there is no tampering or swapping of the EVMs.

Workers have also been asked to keep a vigil on movement of suspicious vehicles near counting centres on Thursday, party leaders said.

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Across the state, EVMs have been stored in 90 strongrooms at 30 locations, as per Election Commission of India guidelines, the state election commission said.

“The exit polls might show anything, but Congress candidates are in a close fight with the BJP in Haryana and we will wrest a number of seats comfortably, but there is a need to remain alert,” Jitender Bhardwaj, state spokesperson, Congress, said.

Voting for the Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat took place on May 12 in the sixth phase of the elections, and saw a turnout of 67.38% of the electorate cast their votes.

Congress candidate Captain (retd) Ajay Singh Yadav had earlier demanded a probe into the sudden spike in polling percentage for the Gurgaon seat on the evening of May 12. “Polling increased by almost 20% in an hour, and this was nothing but suspicious. Despite that, the morale of workers is high and they will remain vigilant to ensure there is no mischief,” Yadav said.

Another Congress leader, Pradeep Zaildar, said they had asked party cadre to remain vigilant. “We have given the BJP a tough fight in almost all constituencies, and the party is likely to win at least five to six seats with handsome margins,” he said.

The BJP, however, said the Congress was making allegations of electoral malpractices against it as it was staring at defeat. The party said its workers were ready for the counting and 15 agents have been appointed for the nine assembly segments, to keep a watch on the entire process. “The people have voted strongly in favour of the BJP led by Narendra Modi, and the opposition’s campaign around EVMs is nothing but an attempt to beat around the bush. If they want to protest they should resign from MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assemblies where the same EVMs were used,” Raman Malik, BJP spokesperson, said.

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