AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the Congress party on Wednesday, expressing disappointment over their inability to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recent Haryana assembly elections, despite several factors working against the ruling party. Owaisi remarked that blaming electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the electoral defeat is misguided, emphasizing that the BJP should have lost given the circumstances.
Owaisi stated, “It is very easy to blame EVMs. You win due to EVMs, and when you lose, then it is wrong. My opinion is that the BJP should have lost this state. There were many factors working against them. So if you can’t defeat the BJP here, it will be a significant pain.” He criticized Congress for not capitalizing on a decade of anti-incumbency sentiment and attributed the BJP’s success to Congress’s internal divisions, suggesting that any opportunity given to the BJP allows them to capitalize on it.
His comments followed Congress’s claims regarding EVM malfunctions after the party secured only 37 seats compared to BJP’s 48 in the elections. Owaisi highlighted Congress’s missed opportunity to act as the main opposition and defeat the BJP.
In a related development, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had written to the Election Commission, voicing concerns over the slow updating of election results and the integrity of the counting process. Ramesh also alleged that discrepancies in EVM functioning favored the BJP, citing instances where fully charged EVMs showed Congress in the lead while those with lower charges appeared manipulated to benefit the BJP. The party also raised concerns about delays in data presentation on the Election Commission’s website when Congress was reportedly gaining ground.
