Lucknow,

5 June (HS): Mayawati, the head of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), stated on

Thursday that if elections were held using ballot papers rather than electronic

voting machines (EVMs), her party's golden days will return. Addressing a news

conference here, she reaffirmed her call for all elections to be conducted

using ballot papers, saying that EVMs were tampered to prevent BSP candidates

from winning.

Casteist

parties, both in power and in opposition, have been manipulating certain

opportunistic and self-serving individuals from Dalit and other marginalized

communities behind the scenes. These

components are being exploited to build numerous organizations and parties that

are confusing our supporters and splitting votes in BSP strongholds,

particularly in Uttar Pradesh, she claimed.

The

former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also said that opposing political parties

were using a variety of strategies to keep the BSP's involvement in national

politics to a minimum. These parties not only create and support opportunistic

groups, but they actively transfer votes to them in elections to assist a few

of their candidates win, undermining the BSP's chances, she asserted.

Furthermore,

Mayawati said that EVM tampering is being utilized to defeat BSP candidates in

an attempt to undermine the faith of Dalit and marginalized voters in the BSP. She

stated that various opposition parties are now raising concerns about EVMs, and

that the majority of opposition parties, including the BSP, now believe that

all elections, large and small, should be conducted using ballot sheets, as

they were previously.

Though

this may not be possible under the present government, we hope to see it happen

following a shift of power, she added. Mayawati expressed confidence that if

the electoral process returns to ballot papers, the BSP would reclaim its lost

political position and its glory days will return. She also warned her party

members of self-serving and opportunistic groups and parties that, she

believed, had no true link to B.R. Ambedkar, BSP founder Kanshi Ram, or the

larger Bahujan movement. Even if leaders from these communities become MPs,

MLAs, or ministers for personal gain, she believes it will provide no genuine

assistance to Dalits or marginalized groups.

The

BSP supremo also criticized Bahujans' unequal participation in the country's

GDP development and expressed worry about persistent poverty and unemployment. She

said that the country's borders had not been completely secured for years,

leading in regular terrorist attacks. She expressed tremendous sadness and

concern about the Pahalgam terror attack and criticized the politicization of

similar occurrences. It's awful that such delicate issues are being utilized

for political benefit. This should not

happen, she insisted.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi