Machinery Mandate Not Populist Vote

Mamata Banerjee said Akhilesh Yadav should demand a forensic examination of the EVMs.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday cast a shadow of doubt over the BJP’s record win in Uttar Pradesh, along with those in other states, saying it wasn’t a popular mandate but victory attained with the help of “election machinery and central forces and agencies”.

“Through use of election machinery and central forces and agencies they have won and few states and now they are jumping around. They playing a kettle drum but they cannot make music. For music you need a harmonium,” she said at a news briefing in Kolkata.

“You say BJP has won in UP. If you calculate properly, Akhilesh has increased vote percent. Akhilesh has increased seats and BJP reduced seats. There were complaints about EVM machines. A DM (Varanasi’s Additional District Magistrate) has been suspended. Akhilesh has been made to lose. Akhilesh should not be depressed. He should go to the people and ask for forensic study of EVMs. They have not got a popular mandate; this is machinery mandate,” she added.