Jharkhand’s urban electorate is at the polls today, marking votes on paper slips for leadership roles in 48 municipal corporations. In Deoghar, the atmosphere buzzed with democratic fervor as BJP MP Nishikant Dubey cast his ballot alongside wife Anamika at the PHD office polling center.
Dubey, fresh from voting, called on residents to exercise their franchise en masse. However, he quickly pivoted to criticism of the ballot system imposed by Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government. ‘This outdated method is stalling progress – only a handful of votes amid expectations of hundreds,’ he pointed out, advocating a return to EVMs for efficiency.
The MP reserved his sharpest barbs for Rahul Gandhi, countering the Congress leader’s narrative on electronic voting irregularities. ‘These Jharkhand local body results will shatter Rahul’s myth that BJP relies on EVMs to win,’ Dubey proclaimed. ‘Our victories are method-agnostic – EVM or ballot, the outcome stays the same.’
He further condemned Congress activists’ disruptive behavior at an AI conference, drawing a vivid parallel: ‘Congress has bared its hypocrisy, and their protests mirror that nudity.’
With voting set to conclude later today, these polls represent more than local stakes – they’re a referendum on governance models and electoral trust. BJP hopes to leverage strong showings to bolster its narrative ahead of state assembly contests, while the ballot choice has reignited national debates on voting technology.