BJP won because of EVMs, won't return to power: MNS chief

AURANGABAD: The BJP had won the past elections by manipulating the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray alleged today.

Thackeray also said the BJP-led NDA government won't return to power in 2019 as it has "failed" on all the fronts.

"The EVMs had helped the BJP win the elections in the past. Otherwise, how can any candidate get zero votes in polls?" he questionned while speaking to reporters on the first day of his six-day tour of Marathwada region.


The tour is aimed at expanding the base of the MNS in the region which is battling for political survival in the state.

After pulling off an impressive performance in the 2009 Maharashtra assembly polls, the MNS got pushed to the margins after suffering setbacks in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections held in 2014.

"The Central and Maharashtra governments have failed on all the fronts. Issues like inadequate rate for procurement of milk and unemployment are affecting the farmers and youths. This government of the BJP and Shiv Sena won't return to power in 2019," he told reporters.

Thackeray blamed the Central government for a string of mob lynching incidents being reported from various parts of the country.

"Incidents of mob lynching could be stopped but they are going on at the behest of the Narendra Modi government," the MNS chief alleged.

He also attacked the NDA government over the Aurangabad waste disposal issue.

"The state government has failed to resolve the garbage disposal issue. We had solved a similar issue in Nashik in just five years (when MNS was heading the Nashik civic body)," Thackeray said.

The garbage issue had led to a stand-off between the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and villagers of Naregaon near the city over dumping of waste earlier this year. The villagers had prevented the AMC from dumping the garbage at the site.