Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has thanked party workers as counting is underway in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections 2022. Early leads show the BJP is ahead in UP.
"The test is yet to be complete. The time has come now for decisions. My heartfelt thanks to every worker, supporter, leader, office bearer and well-wishers of the Samajwadi Party and alliance for being alert and active, day and night, at counting centers," Mr Yadav tweeted, referring to the controversy over allegations that some elements tried to take away electronic voting machines, or EVMs, from a strong room in UP.
"Sepoys of democracy return only with a certificate of victory," Mr Yadav tweeted.
Mr Yadav had alleged the BJP was attempting fraud. "Treat the counting centres as the pilgrimage of democracy. Go there and stand firm," Mr Yadav said. "The SP alliance is winning, that is why the BJP is trying to commit fraud," he added.
He had on Tuesday alleged the ruling BJP tried to steal votes. A truck allegedly carrying EVMs was "intercepted" in Varanasi, but the Election Commission later clarified that the machines were for training officials on counting duty and were not used in the elections.
In a statement on Tuesday night, the office of the chief electoral officer of Uttar Pradesh said "rumours were spread by people of some political party by stopping the vehicle and alleging that these EVMs were used in elections".
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