Hectic parleys continued among opposition parties after most exit polls showed the return of the National Democratic Alliance for the second time with thumping majority. Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has been the most active of all, meeting leaders of Opposition across the country to forge a strong anti-BJP front. Several NDA leaders, on the other hand, asked the opposition to accept their fate and not create controversies around EVMs.
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In less than 24 hours, counting for 542 Lok Sabha seats will begin across the country. Central paramilitary forces have been deployed for security of strong rooms in which the EVMs have been kept. The Election Commission has also set up 24-hour Control Room to monitor complaints relating to EVMs.
As India gears up for the 17th Lok Sabha, stay tuned with Zee News to follow the top developments of the day:
* Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan on Tuesday said that if he does not win by over three lakh votes in Rampur, his parliamentary constituency, it means that the election was not held in a free and fair manner across India. Read more
* EC tweets:
A dedicated 24 hour control room has been set up to respond to any complaints related to EVM. You can call at 011 23052123. #ITrustEVM pic.twitter.com/RGKFEnN9fC
— Election Commission #DeshKaMahatyohar (@ECISVEEP) May 22, 2019
* West Bengal: On counting day, Kolkata Police will deploy 4000 security personnel in the state capital. Two hundred companies of central forces have also been deployed inside counting centres. The joint forces will remain active in order to curb any violence. Sensitive areas are also under surveillance. Kolkata armed police along with city police will be posted outside the main gate of the counting centre. Counting of votes will take place at 13 locations in Kolkata.
* Punjab: Polling is underway at Amritsar constituency’s “Polling Booth No. 123” of Rajasansi assembly constituency. The Election Commission of India ordered the re-poll on Monday. Voting will continue from 7 am to 6 pm.
* UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of senior Congress leaders on May 22, a day before counting of votes, to discuss post-poll strategies. All senior leaders, General Secretaries and party ‘in-charges’ has been called in. Another meeting is likely to be held on May 23. According to sources, a team of four leaders has been set up who’ll reach out to non-NDA parties to built a united front.
* Continuing his efforts to mobilise opposition parties to forge a non-NDA front, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Chandrababu Naidu Tuesday met former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda in Karnataka’s Bengaluru. The meeting lasted for more than one and half hours. Read more
* Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday slammed opposition parties for raising questions over the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and said that the opposition must accept defeat with grace if Narendra Modi gets the mandate to become prime minister again. Read more
Source: Zee News