New Delhi: Congress has suffered an electoral setback in Assam. Amid protests against the SIR, the party lost the Silchar Municipal Corporation elections. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has quipped that Congress cannot win even on ballot papers. Notably, the local elections were held using ballot papers. Meanwhile, Congress is demanding that EVMs be replaced with ballot papers in Delhi.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Congress suffered a bigger defeat on the ballot paper. He said, “You see, Congress lost even on the ballot paper. It lost a little more on the ballot paper. That’s why people even press NOTA on EVMs. Some people get nervous seeing the machine and sometimes vote in the wrong place, but people know how to vote on the ballot paper. So, as long as votes are cast on the ballot paper, Congress loses even more.”
Congress lost even on minority seats
Sarma said, “Today, you see that in the Silchar area, 10 seats were reserved for religious minorities. That means there were 10 seats where Congress could have won with the votes of minorities. But even there, Congress did not get any votes, winning only two seats, and independents got five. So, the first was the BJP-AJP, the second was independents, and the third was Congress, and on the ballot paper. For today, we have raised the slogan that you are going to lose on the machine as well as on the ballot.”
Voting took place on October 3 for 40 of the 42 wards, while BJP candidates Bijendra Prasad Singh and Bhakti Sen Talukdar were elected unopposed in wards 9 and 20. Of these, the BJP won 32 seats, while the Asom Gana Parishad won two. Congress won two seats, and independents won six.
Congress wants elections on ballot paper
On September 30, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the INDIA alliance should demand the reinstatement of ballot papers instead of EVMs. He said that it is essential to restore public trust and confidence in the electoral system. He also demanded protection against the deletion of eligible voters due to administrative flaws, insufficient documentation, or lack of awareness, ballot papers instead of EVMs, a simplified registration process for youth and first-time voters, and an electoral body that can gain the confidence of all political parties.
Reiterates the demand
Kharge said on Monday that the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, cancellation of special intensive revision of voter lists and holding elections through ballot papers are the three major demands on which his party will not compromise.
