Can't rely on EVMs, coalition needed to fight BJP: Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday demanded that all future elections be conducted through ballot papers as "electronic voting machines cannot be relied upon" and said there should be a coalition between all parties to fight the BJP.

"When will EVMs develop a snag no one can tell ... When will the software fail ... Machines cannot be relied upon. We do not have faith in EVMs," Akhilesh told news persons here.

"We have 100 per cent faith in our ballot papers and it is our demand that future elections are held using them ... We do not want to go into whether EVMs are good or bad," the former UP chief minister said.

"Questions are being raised on the EVMs. People are yet to come to terms with the fact that they pressed the button against the cycle (SP election symbol) on the EVMs, but vote went to the BJP.

"The Election Commission should tell how the EVMs develop technical snag. Who is making the software of these EVMs? The poor people of the state said they had voted for the SP, then how come it did not get the votes?" Akhilesh asked.

On forming a coalition of political parties against the BJP, he said if any such coalition is formed, the SP will play an important role in it.

"There should be a coalition, which can pave the way forward. We are ready to welcome it. We had welcomed such a move earlier too,"

he said.

BSP chief Mayawati had on Friday accused the BJP of targetting her for raising voice against alleged EVM tampering and said she was not averse to shaking hands with other parties in her fight against the saffron party on the issue.