In a bustling Monday morning scene in Deoghar, Jharkhand, BJP parliamentarian Nishikant Dubey and his wife stepped out to vote in the ongoing municipal elections. Across the state’s 48 urban bodies, citizens are using paper ballots to choose their local leaders – a process Dubey says exposes the futility of anti-EVM rhetoric.
The MP highlighted the inefficiencies firsthand: at his polling booth, progress was glacial, with just 40 votes recorded where hundreds were anticipated. He accused the ruling Hemant Soren administration of regressive policies by shunning electronic voting machines, which he claims streamline the democratic process.
Turning his attention to Rahul Gandhi, Dubey dismissed the Congress heir’s persistent claims of electoral fraud via EVMs. ‘Post these municipal poll results, Rahul’s EVM delusion will vanish,’ he asserted confidently. ‘BJP triumphs regardless of the method – be it machine or paper.’
Dubey’s family outing to the polls doubled as a public appeal for high voter turnout. He also lambasted Congress for crude protests during an artificial intelligence program, likening their antics to the party’s alleged moral bankruptcy.
These elections mark a crucial test for Jharkhand’s political landscape, pitting BJP’s organizational strength against the incumbent JMM-led coalition. With ballots in play, every vote counts slower but surely, potentially reshaping local governance dynamics. Observers note that urban voters, often overlooked in state politics, could deliver surprises when results are announced.