New Delhi, June 7
Malook Nagar, the National General Secretary of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), took a jibe at the opposition's scepticism towards Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on Friday. The RLD leader said that had the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a greater number of seats in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the opposition would likely have attributed their defeat to EVM manipulation.
While speaking with ANI, Malook Nagar targeted the opposition and said, "If we had gained many more seats, then they would have blamed the EVM... Narendra Modi ji ne chutki li hai (Narendra Modi has made fun)..."
Nagar added further, "He has also indicated that in 2029 we will come with strength and they will again cry over EVMs."
On Jairam Ramesh's statement that he still can't believe that Narendra Modi is becoming PM again, he said, "Congress is the biggest party of this so-called INDIA alliance... The Congress leaders who are actually capable of working, like Sachin Pilot, were kept in the forefront during the election campaigns but now are kept aside. 'Jo kagzi neta hote hai sirf unki chalti hai'. And that is why, such is the situation of Congress for the past 10 years."
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at the opposition INDIA bloc and said that when the results were declared he was concerned if the EVMs are 'dead or alive' referring to the allegations of EVM rigging.
He alleged that the opposition tried to blame the EVMs and thus weaken the Election Commission of India.
"When results were coming out on June 4, I was busy with work. Phone calls started coming in later. I asked someone, numbers are fine, tell me EVM zinda hai ki mar gaya (Is the EVM dead or alive). Before 4 June, these people (opposition) were constantly blaming EVMs and they were determined to make people lose faith in the democratic process of India. I thought they would take out the funeral procession of the EVM," PM Modi said while addressing the meeting of newly elected MPs of the alliance on Friday in Parliament.
"But by the evening of June 4, unko taale lag gaye. EVM ne unko chup kar diya (EVM silenced them). This is the strength of India's democracy, its fairness. I hope I won't get to hear about EVM for 5 years. But when we go into 2029, perhaps they will again harp about EVM. The country will never forgive them," he added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and other members of the new council of ministers will take oath in a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 9.
PM-designate Modi had earlier in the day called on President Droupadi Murmu and staked the claim to form the government. He met the President after a meeting of leaders of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, who elected him as the leader.
"The President will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the Prime Minister and other members of the Union Council of Ministers at 7.15 pm on June 09, 2024, at Rashtrapati Bhavan," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a post on X.
Earlier in the day, the President appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India. The President requested him to advise her about the names of other persons to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers and indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
An NDA delegation also called on the President and a letter stating that Narendra Modi had been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party was handed over to her.
BJP-led NDA won a third successive term in office under the leadership of PM Modi in the Lok Sabha elections.