Hardik Patel cries foul to EVM tampering over BJP's win

Rajkot: Crying foul to EVM tampering, patidar leader Hardik Patel on Monday said that there has been EVM tampering in Surat, Rajkot, Ahmedabad which is why the gap is very less wherever tampering happened.

He congratulated the BJP on its victory but said he would continue his agitation for reservation for the Patidars, on the issues of farmers, including waiving loans, and unemployment of youth, in a few days.

"I want to congratulate the BJP for winning by tampering with the EVMs," said Hardik Patel.

"There has been tampering of EVMs in Surat, Rajkot and Ahmedabad, hence the gap is very less wherever tampering happened," Patel told reporters here as the result trends showed the BJP poised to retain the state.

He also said that "EVMs are hackable". "The EVMs from which the candidates were winning with 300 votes, after recounting the winning candidate lost by a margin of over 6,000 votes," the PAAS leader claimed.

"It means there is something wrong in it," he said. "If the ATMs can be hacked then why not the EVMs?" he asked.

Also read: Gujarat 2017 elections results LIVE: BJP to retain Gujarat

He claimed that the BJP has won due to its "dirty tricks". "They won using dirty tricks, by using money power in the state," he alleged.

He also said that in most of the developed countries they still use ballot boxes.

"Look at Japan, Israel, Germany, they still use ballot papers despite having advanced technology," he said.

He claimed that the results have been made to look like a "close contest" between the Congress and BJP so that people should not complain about rigging of EVMs.

Patel said he accepts whatever mandate the people of the state have given to the BJP.

"I accept the mandate given by the people, but it is not as though the people of Gujarat were not aware. We have awakened a lot of people in the state and a lot more needs to be done," he said.

He said he will continue with his agitation for reservation for Patidars in the state, besides on the issue of farmers income and youth unemployment.