Ram Vilas Paswan and (above) an EVM machine. Telegraph pictures

Patna, Jan. 18: Still smarting from the electoral drubbing, Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan today again alleged that “defective” electronic voting machines (EVMs) responsible for the RJD-LJP alliance’s debacle and called upon all “secular” parties to unite against the ruling alliance.

The LJP chief’s accusations so far have not been backed by any evidence.

Paswan’s charge, the third time since the NDA returned to power two months ago, has given the NDA a stick to beat the Opposition with.

“By raking up the issue of the so-called defective EVMs, the LJP-RJD leaders have virtually made it clear that they had no issues to carry on with their politics. Rather, they are insulting the people’s mandate by questioning it without evidence,” said deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

Instead of focusing on the issues the RJD-LJP combine planned to take up in future, the LJP chief dwelt at length on history. “Indira Gandhi was wiped out in the 1977 elections but she staged a comeback to power with two-third majority in 1979. Similarly, the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress won over 400 seats in the 1984 Lok Sabha polls. But it lost in the next elections,” Paswan said.

He added: “Massive mandate does not mean Nitish will come to power again.”

A senior JD(U) leader remarked in a lighter vein: “Ram Vilas is furnishing examples of Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. But why is he not giving the example of the CPM, which has been winning elections in neighbouring Bengal ever since 1977? He does not need to go much further away to find out that a performing government can get repeated mandates to rule even for over three decades.”

Lalu Prasad, Paswan’s poll partner, too had described the NDA’s victory as “rahasyamay (mysterious)” endorsing his ally’s view on the EVMs.

Paswan, however, finds no reason to give up on “defective” EVMs. “Even the Congress leadership had suspected the EVMs after the defeat in Gujarat. NDA’s topmost leader, LK Advani, too has raised his doubts with the efficiency of the EVMs,” Paswan said. “Why should we not go back to ballot papers which offer more transparency.”

Paswan claimed that the ballot papers were still in use in many European countries despite the fact that “they were more advanced in IT and computers”.

The LJP chief, who earned his name in the Guinness World Records by winning his Hajipur seat by a massive margin in 1989 and also made some sorts of record by losing the same seat in the 2009 polls, said, “I have seen many ups and downs in 42 years of my career in politics. Ups and downs are part of a politician’s life. Unfazed with the results we will embark on the agitation against the Nitish government,” Paswan said.

He urged all secular parties, including the Left, to unite against the Nitish-led government, which had the “communal” with it.

BJP barb

The BJP today once again launched an attack on the Congress, accusing it of promoting corruption.

Making this claim, BJP Bihar unit president CP Thakur cited the Centre’s decision to defend the appointment of PJ Thomas as central vigilance commissioner.

“How can the Centre defend such a decision when Thomas is facing corruption charges? By appointing a person with doubtful credentials, the Centre has made it clear it is bent on nullifying the very purpose for which the post of CVC was created,” Thakur said.