Maharashtra Opposition Challenges EVM Credibility After Mahayuti's Landslide Victory

Sharad Pawar and opposition leaders call for a return to ballot paper voting, citing public distrust in EVMs following BJP-led coalition's decisive win.

The BJP-led Mahayuti coalition secured a sweeping victory in Maharashtra's assembly elections, winning 230 out of 288 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) managed only 46 seats.
Sharad Pawar, leader of the NCP (SP), visited Markadwadi village, which has become a focal point of opposition protests against EVMs, and urged for a shift back to ballot paper voting.
Opposition leaders, including Congress's Nana Patole, allege discrepancies in vote counts and claim the election results do not reflect the public's mandate.
The ruling coalition criticized the opposition's stance, with leaders like Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde dismissing claims of EVM tampering as baseless and urging the opposition to accept defeat.
Rahul Narwekar was re-elected unopposed as Maharashtra assembly speaker, with the opposition opting not to field a candidate in the election.