Akhilesh Yadav Condemns BJP March and Demands Paper Ballots

Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' march, asserting that the ruling party itself represents anarchy and is the primary crisis facing the country. Speaking in Varanasi, Yadav demanded the removal of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in favor of paper ballots, which he characterized as the only constitutional method of voting.

Yadav also attacked the BJP's governance in Varanasi, the Prime Minister's constituency, citing garbage-filled streets, a lack of clean drinking water, and poor traffic management.

The BJP's nationwide march was a response to opposition protests against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. These protests followed claims by Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar facilitated vote theft and should be removed and jailed.