Solapur, Dec 10 (IANS): Hailing the spirit of the Markadwadi voters, Maharashtra Congress President Nana F. Patole said that his party would launch a nationwide mass movement demanding a return to the ballot paper voting systems from the village on Tuesday.

“We salute the people of Markadwadi for setting a precedent, speaking out against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and seeking ballot paper polling. We are fully behind you in this fight to save Democracy and the Constitution,” said Patole.

Demanding withdrawal of the cases lodged against the Markadwadi villagers for attempting to conduct a ‘mock ballot paper poll’ on December 3 – which was thwarted by the police and local administration – Patole added that mass movement would be on the lines of Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi, who is now elected the Congress Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.

He revealed that all the details of the Markadwadi initiative have been conveyed to Rahul Gandhi and now preparations are underway to start a national-level mass movement against EVMs.

“When democracies in the neighbouring countries are being systematically dismantled, a similar effort is underway even in India. The voter is considered the ‘king’ in a democracy, but now his power of ‘vote’ is being stolen from him through EVM manipulations,” claimed Patole.

He added that people in the state are having serious doubts about the EVMs and that is what prompted the people of Markadwadi to show the way to the country and ensure transparency in the voting system by reverting to the ballot papers.

“The political parties did not launch it, it was you, the people who took up this initiative and the mass crusade will be launched from Markadwadi itself to safeguard the peoples’ rights and save the country,” said Patole.

“Taking inspiration from Markadwadi, many villages all over the state are passing resolutions demanding ballot paper voting henceforth…Anti-EVM protests have erupted in several villages in Sangli, Raigad, and demands for mock ballot paper voting have come from several other villages,” Patole pointed out.

Referring to the Dec. 3 ‘mock ballot paper poll’, the Congress chief said that it rattled the government and hence resorted to suppressing the peoples’ voices through the police by filing cases against the villagers, which must be withdrawn.

Present with Patole were top Congress leaders like ex-MLAs Ramhari Rupanvar, Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Organization President Harshavardhan Sapkal, Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe, Solapur District President Nandkumar Pawar, Solapur City President Chetan Narote, Prof. Yashpal Bhinge, and hundreds of villagers turned up at the rally.

On Sunday, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar visited the village, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray is slated to go there soon, and Rahul Gandhi will visit Markadwadi for a ‘padyatra’ in the coming weeks.