Kairana, May 28: Allegations of EVM snag have emerged from Kairana, where the Lok Sabha bypoll is currently underway. RLD candidate Tabassum Hasan, who is being backed by the SP, BSP and Congress, wrote to the Election Commission seeking replacement of the "faulty EVMs" placed in over 175 booths in Shamli, Gangoh, Nakur and Thana Bhawan region.

Tabassum claimed the malfunctioning EVMs have been tactically installed in segments where the Muslim and Dalit voters form the majority. Blaming the Yogi Adityanath government in the state of "attempting to rig" the bypolls, she said, "It was their strategy to get faulty EVMs installed in Muslim and Dalit areas. They hope to win the elections in this manner. But we will resist."

"They didn't expect so many people to come out to vote in Ramzan. Initial strategy was to hold elections in Ramzan so that people won't vote. But as a precautionary measure, they also installed faulty EVMs in Muslim localities to create complications," she added.

Tabassum is being challenged by BJP's Mriganka Singh, the daughter of deceased MP Hukum Singh. The by-election was necessitated due to the demise of her father in February this year.

Apart from Kairana, the Opposition has levelled allegations of EVM rigging in Uttar Pradesh's Noorpur, where the assembly bypoll is underway.

"There are reports that in Noorpur, 140 EVMs are faulty, which is because they've been tampered. There are similar reports from Kairana. They (BJP) want to avenge the defeat in Phulpur and Gorakhpur, which is why they want to defeat us at any cost," said senior Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2018 12:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).