MARGAO
Claiming reports of talks in the town that the electronic voting machines can be manipulated to suit vested interests, Trinamool Congress sitting MLA, Churchill Alemao on Wednesday made a plea to all candidates to request the Election Commission to allow counting of the VVPAT slips to clear all doubts in the minds of the candidates and the people on the EVMs.
Further saying that chances are bright for a secular government to return back to power in Goa, Churchill appealed to the secular parties to take the issue of manipulation of EVMs seriously and heed to his advice to request the EC to count the VVPAT slips.
Addressing the media, the TMC sitting MLA said the EC allows counting of VVPAT slips only of three EVMs if a doubt is raised by a contesting candidate. “My request to all the candidates is that they should call for counting of all the VVPAT slips of all EVMs and not just of three EVMs. This will remove the doubts from the minds of the candidates as well as the people,” he said.
To a question, Churchill said he has decided to raise the issue since talks are doing the rounds in certain circles that the EVMs can be manipulated, even as he reiterated that the EVMs had defeated members of the Alemao family in the 2012 election. “When I had raised the issue of EVMs being responsible for my defeat in 2012, many even termed me as ignorant. Later, people from across the country knocked the doors of the Supreme Court and thus the Election Commission had to use the VVPAT system as a counter check,” he said.
“My appeal to candidates of all parties that if they think they are winning the election, they should ask for counting of all VVPAT slips since the EC allows counting of slips of only three EVMs,” he said, adding that he and his Trinamool Congress party will officially request the EC to count all the VVPAT slips.
While declining to name those who are working behind the scenes to manipulate the EVMs, Churchill said he has only put forth his fears and his suggestion so that the mandate of the people is respected by the political class.
Meanwhile, Churchill has welcomed the decision of the National Coastal Zone Management Authority not to include Goa’s entire coastal belt as a sand dune, saying any such decision would have spelled doom for the tourism industry.
He said he is opposed to any plan which would increase coal handling at the MPT, saying this would destroy Goa’s pristine beauty and tourism.
‘TMC leadership will take call on support to other party’
MARGAO: Demanding to know whether anyone can form a new government in Goa without Trinamool Congress party’s support, TMC leader Churchill Alemao on Wednesday said he and the TMC leadership will take a call how to go about post-election result if the party wins a couple of seats.
“The party leadership will decide whether the TMC should extend support to any government in the State,” he said, when the media questioned whether he and Valanka will extend issue-based support to the BJP if they seek his support.
“I can tell one thing that no party will be able to form the government without TMC support. As far as extending issue-based support to the BJP or any other party is concerned, the party leadership will take a call,” he said.
He added: “Last time, I had sought the views of NCP leaders before extending issue-based support to the BJP. This time, the party leadership will take a call.”
