Rakesh Tikait Criticizes Exit Polls, Questions EVM Integrity

Dismissing the predictions of exit polls that show a favorable outcome for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha elections, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, saying that these exit polls will not counter the “king” who is both an “astrologer” and a “dictator.”

In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tikait said to reporters on Sunday, “We have already said that in a country where the king is an astrologer and a dictator, what will the exit polls do? Who is going to counter whatever the king says?”

The farmer leader argued that if the NDA has set a target of more than 400 seats, it indicates that the “planning” for it was already done. “If they were already claiming to win more than 400 seats, it means that the planning was already done,” Tikait said.

Questioning the integrity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Tikait suggested that everything is pre-decided, including which machine goes to which location. “I do not understand…where are EVM machines kept? Before the election, they are repaired. Cells and batteries are put in. Whatever alterations are done, everything is done from there. Which machine has to go where and what is the situation at that place is predecided,” Tikait stated.

Discussing the issues that the BKU intends to raise, Tikait said, “Whoever forms the government, we have issues like loan waiver, Swaminathan Committee report, MSP guarantee law. These days, if you take the issue of the environment, temperatures are soaring. The government is not concerned with this. No matter how much the heat increases, the government will cut forests.”

Tikait emphasized that they would challenge any government that made wrong decisions. “We want trees to be planted, forests to be saved, we will fight for tribals. We will fight for various issues in every state, no matter who is in power. We will fight on issues at the state and central levels. We do not have any problem with who is in government but their wrong policies. We do not have any issue with any political party. Whoever forms the government, if they make wrong decisions, we will counter them through agitations,” Tikait asserted.