Calcutta/Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has insinuated the BJP rigged electronic voting machines in the November civic polls in Uttar Pradesh. If elections used only paper ballots, the BJP's wins would not be so rampant, he suggested, drawing support from staunch rival and Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati in Lucknow. Voting machines were used in the 16 municipal corporations, with the BJP winning 14 of the mayoral posts. Paper ballots were used in the 198 Nagar Palika Parishads and 438 Nagar Panchayats, where too the BJP dominated but to a lesser degree. "I can bet the BJP will not retain power if the 2019 general election is held through paper ballots," Mayawati said.

Source: The Telegraph December 02, 2017 20:15 UTC