R everal Opposition parties Sled by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday said they will move the Supreme Court again to demand verification of at least 50 per cent of votes by paper trail since credibility of EVMs are still doubted. Opposition parties, includ- aunching a “blistering” ing the Congress, Telugu Lattack on the dynastic rulers Desam Party (TDP), Samajwadi of Jammu & Kashmir, Prime Party, CPI and CPI(M) came Minister Narendra Modi on together to highlight the issue Sunday said he won’t allow the of transparency in the election two families of Jammu & process and protection of voter Kashmir to divide India. rights with a call to “save “Two families have ruined democracy”. three generations of Jammu and The ruling dispensation Kashmir. For better future of BJP however termed the State, they need to be voted out,” Opposition parties meeting an exercise “to find excuses for their impending massive defeat” in the Lok Sabha polls. The party said Opposition approach the Supreme Court per Assembly constituency. He VVPAT slips with EVMs to five instead of 7 seconds,” Singhvi over his remarks at a rally in Ex-Chief Minister alliance is a misnomer because seeking a direction to the EC for said a fresh petition will be filed polling booths per assembly said. Kathua in Jammu region of the Mehbooba, whose party was in most of them are fighting elec- counting of at least 50 per cent in the matter. “We are raising segment, from one at present, The BJP said people are he BJP, with its “noxious State. power in the State from 2015- tions separately. Opposition of the VVPAT slips with the doubts about the EVMs. The in the Lok Sabha polls, saying delivering a massive blow to Tagenda” of “banishing” Also, NC president Farooq 2018 in an alliance with the BJP, parties, including the Congress, EVMs in every Assembly seg- confidence of the voter can only it will provide greater satisfac- “this negative Opposition” and Muslims and minorities wants Abdullah dubbed Modi and said the PM bashes political have been demanding that all ment. “If the EC will ignore this be restored through paper trail tion not just to political parties their attempts to really come to “divide” the country, PDP BJP president Amit Shah families before the elections and votes polled through EVMs be issue then we will take other machines. We want the EC to but the entire electorate. together are only “to express president Mehbooba Mufti said “biggest enemies of people”, then sends envoys to verified with at least 50 per cent measures. We will not sit qui- ensure 50 per cent counter Singhvi said the Opposition confession of their defeat in the on Sunday as she hit back at alleging that they want to stitch alliance with them after- voter verifiable paper audit etly. We will approach the check of paper trail of all the parties will carry out a nation- ongoing elections”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi divide the country. wards. trail (VVPATs). Supreme Court,” said Sibal, EVMs,” Naidu said. wide campaign on the issue of A VVPAT is intended as an also a Rajya Sabh member. Naidu on Saturday had met discrepancies in EVMs and independent verification system Andhra Pradesh Chief Chief Election Commissioner alleged that the EC was not for voting machines designed to Minister and TDP supremo N Sunil Arora to raise the issue of doing enough to address issue allow voters to verify that their Chandrababu Naidu, a key EVM malfunctioning. The of EVM malfunctioning. vote was cast correctly and will interlocutor of the Opposition, demand by the parties comes in “Questions were raised after help detect any possible election said EVMs are not reliable and the peak of the election season. the first phase of elections, we fraud or malfunction of EVMs. Opposition parties are not sat- The first of the seven phases of don’t think the EC is paying Congress leaders and isfied with the Supreme Court the Lok Sabha polls was held on adequate attention. If you press senior advocates Kapil Sibal and order directing the EC to April 11. The Supreme Court the button before X party, vote Abhishek Singhvi said increase the number of EVM’s on Monday directed the EC to goes to Y party. VVPAT dis- Opposition parties will randomly verified from 1 to 5 increase random matching of plays only for 3 seconds, as Congress leader and Rajya and Deputy Chief Minister Sabha member Abhishek Manu Manish Sisodia said on mid speculations over an Singhvi said, “You know the Saturday that his party was Aalliance with the Congress stand of Congress. The alliance ready to form an alliance with in the Lok Sabha polls still rife, was almost done in Delhi but the Congress in Delhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind linking it with other States is not Haryana and Chandigarh but Kejriwal on Sunday said his right.” The uncertainty over an it would not agree for a tie-up party will do anything to “save alliance between the AAP and just in the national Capital. the country” from Narendra the Congress has been contin- Despite all the talk about Modi (Prime Minister) and and Amit Shah will continue,” uing for some time now. The the proposed alliance, Amit Shah (BJP president). Kejriwal said. talks between the two sides Congress has not cleared its Addressing media persons Congress leader Kapil Sibal, derailed after they failed to stand on the possible coalition after a meeting of Opposition who were also present on the reach an agreement over seat- and that has resulted in over- parties to discuss the issue of occasion, however, dodged sharing in Delhi and Haryana. all confusion among party EVM malfunctioning in the questions on an alliance with Congress’ in-charge for workers. ongoing parliamentary elec- the AAP and threw the ball in Delhi P C Chacko had said on A party insider said the tion, he said the country is in Kejriwal’s court saying, “He Friday the Congress would go inordinate delay in clearing the danger. “We will do anything to knows better”. “You ask him it alone in Delhi since the AAP air over an alliance is queering save it. Our effort to save the about the alliance. He knows had taken an “impractical the pitch for the party as work- country from Narendra Modi better than us,” Sibal said, even stand”. On Saturday, AAP leader ers are getting disheartened. R BHUBANESWAR: Chief Ministers India has had”. Minister and BJD president Patnaik reiterated his stand Celsius. Naveen Patnaik is of the view that the BJD would support any Bhubaneswar and Cuttack that Prime Minister Narendra side in Lok Sabha that “sup- ormal life was thrown out recorded the day’s maximum Modi does not deserve a sec- ports the just demands of Nof gear across the State on temperature of 41 degree and ond term. Odisha”. Sunday as the ongoing intense 39.4 degree, said the Regional “I don’t really think so. No,” Taking a dig at Modi’s heat wave continued gripping Office of the Indian Patnaik told a news channel on statement that Odisha would many places. As many as 11 Metrological Department being asked whether Modi become another Tripura where stations recorded maximum (IMD). deserves another chance as the BJP would form govern- temperature above 40 degree The IMD said the heat Prime Minister. ment, Patnaik said, “In his Celsius. wave conditions are likely to “Modi has not been suc- (Modi’s) dreams.” Titilagarh recorded the prevail for another three to cessful. During the last five Naveen also exuded confi- highest temperature of 43.5 four days. The interior and years, there has been no dence that the BJD would have degree Celsius followed by southern regions are likely to improvement in unemploy- “a comfortable majority in this Angul and Balangir at 42.7 and be lashed by thunderstorms ment, irrigation and railways,” election”. 42.5 degree respectively. within the period. Patnaik said. Asked about his perception Talcher recorded 42.3 degree, Notably, nine places of However, he described late of Rahul Gandhi as the leader Jharsuguda 41.8 degree, the State had recorded tem- BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the Congress, Patnaik said, Sonepur 41.4 degree and peratures above 40 degree as “one of the best Prime “He still has to mature.” PNS Sambalpur 41.1 degree Celsius on Saturday. Tuna Dash of Charichauwk. Dash said that both the issues also cropped up before hold a road show from the Biju Besides, Uttar Pradesh Patra when the BJP candidate Patnaik International Airport Chief Minister Yogi was having his road show here (BPIA) to the meeting venue Adityanath would also hit the hile barely a week is left on Friday. via Siripur Square, Mohanty BJP election campaign trail in Wto elections, a neck- and- Worthy to mention here, said. Odisha on Monday. He would neck fight between BJD and that sitting MP Pinaki Misra is On the day, before coming attend public rallies in BJP is going on in Brahmagiri facing a tight fight from Patra to Bhubaneswar, Modi would Rourkela, Angul and constituency. Parikud which is surrounded While boat is only source mandis. of BJD in the Puri visit Sambalpur and address an Phulbani. While scarcity of fish from by Chilka lake. of communication for people, That has generated a major Parliamentary constituency, rime Minister Narendra election rally there, informed This was informed by BJP Chilka lake has become a major Among two blocks, the a long-standing bridge has job loss resulting in distress which will go to polls on April PModi is scheduled to visit Union Minister Dharmendra State spokesperson Golak issue, the distress sale of lake surrounding Parikud com- remained a daydream since migration of farmers to other 23.