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The Congress leaders participating in the ongoing Chintan Shivir in Udaipur agreed to a call to include in the party's manifesto the removal of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) from the electoral system while also vowing to reintroduce the paper ballots if the party comes to power at the Centre.
Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan emphasised the need for the party to win the Assembly polls that are lined up before the commencement of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. Speaking to ANI, Chavan said, "We had discussions over the issue of the EVM tampering. But it's my personal opinion that filing petitions or urging won't compel PM Modi to change it. There is only one way, that is to defeat him. We will have to write in our manifesto that if we come to power at the Centre, we would stop the use of EVMs and get back to the ballot papers." "There are 12 Assembly elections before the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. Facing the Lok Sabha polls would be difficult until we win these polls," he added. When asked about the impact of the Chintan Shivir on the Congress party, the leader said that its conduct itself has enabled the party leaders from across the country to gather and share the issues pertaining to the organisation in various states. "The conduct of the Shivir in itself is big because we could not meet each other for two years. The top Congress leaders from across the country met and put forward their views," Chavan said. Earlier today, the Shivir discussed the issue of EVMs during the brainstorming sessions over the poll debacles in the recent elections. According to the sources, a presentation was made in the Shivir regarding the possibility of the hacking of the EVMs which the Opposition parties have questioned in the past. Deliberations over the party's strategy to find winning ways took place during the first two days of the three-day Shivir. (ANI)
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