Why Is BJP Offended Over EVM's Criticism: Bhupesh Baghel

The ruling Congress faced an unexpected setback in Chhattisgarh, where the BJP staged a comeback, securing 54 out of the 90 seats.

File Photo Of Bhupesh Baghel

Source : PTI Images

Chhattisgarh's outgoing Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday asked why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacts so strongly to any criticism of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), news agency PTI. 

Speaking to reporters at the Raipur airport before departing for Delhi to participate in a Congress meeting on Friday, aimed at reviewing the recently concluded assembly elections in five states, Baghel expressed his curiosity about the BJP's sensitivity towards EVM discussions, as per the report. 

The ruling Congress faced an unexpected setback in Chhattisgarh, where the BJP staged a comeback, securing 54 out of the 90 seats.

In response to a question about Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh's claim that any machine with a chip can be hacked, as well as his longstanding opposition to EVMs since 2003, Baghel noted the BJP's obvious discomfort whenever EVMs are brought up.

"Why should they feel so offended? They get offended, which means there must be something. It will come up before you if the issue is taken up further," he remarked, as reported by PTI. 

Regarding the reasons behind the Congress's defeat in Chhattisgarh, Baghel stated that a thorough understanding would emerge after the post-election review.

"I have already said that we have accepted the peoples' mandate," he added.

A party functionary told PTI that Bhupesh Baghel and Congress state unit president Deepak Baij will leave for Delhi on Thursday to attend a meeting of their party scheduled for December 8 in Delhi to review the results of the recently concluded assembly elections in five states.

"Baghel and Baij will leave for Delhi this evening to attend the party meeting on Friday," state Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla told PTI.

The Congress, which had won 68 seats in the state assembly elections in 2018, was reduced to 35 seats, with the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) winning one.

The meeting will focus on the results of the five states that held elections last month: Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram, he said.

Baghel defeated BJP's Vijay Baghel by a margin of 19,723 votes from his Patan seat. Amit Jogi, president of the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), finished third in Patan with 4,822 votes.

However, Baij lost the Chitrakot seat to BJP candidate Vinayak Goyal by 8,370 votes.

Baghel resigned as chief minister on Sunday night, after the BJP seized power.