Soon after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that there was tampering with EVMs in Uttar Pradesh, the SP candidate from Hastinapur constituency Yogesh Verma, who was keeping an eye on EVM strong room with binoculars, shifted closer to the strong room and kept watch through the night.
"We are close to the EVM strong room and are guarding them 24 hours. Our hard work is locked in these EVMs. We have created a three-layered security system. The first layer is standing close to 200 meters to the place where the EVMs are kept," said Yogesh Verma on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
"They (BJP) will try to tamper with EVMs to manipulate the result on the basis of fake exit polls predictions they have issued. Even Akhilesh Yadav has said that even officers are involved in this scam. They will try to manipulate the EVMs as they know SP is winning the elections," the SP candidate alleged.
Earlier, in the day, Verma and his supporters had camped outside the strong room with binoculars.
Akhilesh Yadav had alleged that the state election commission officials were tampering with EVMs and the Varanasi district magistrate was transporting them without informing the local candidates.
Replying to these allegations, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), in a press release, said, "Some political parties have brought to our attention that a few EVMs were being transported in a vehicle in Varanasi district. On investigation, it was found that these EVMs were for training purposes. These EVMs were being taken to training locations at a college in the state on March 9, 2022, and were kept at a foodgrains warehouse. "
Meanwhile, Lucknow Police Commissioner DK Thakur has said that security arrangements around EVM strong rooms have been strengthened ahead of the counting of votes.
Voting for the seventh and last phase of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh was held on Monday.
The exit polls have predicted the BJP getting a comfortable majority in the state.
The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
( With inputs from ANI )
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