Oppn questioning EC, EVM in panic as NDA set to win over 400 seats: BJP

New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) The Congress questioning the Election Commission for not releasing cumulative voter turnout figure reflects frustration and panic in the opposition as the NDA is set to win over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP said on Wednesday.

While the Congress had on Tuesday taken a swipe at EC for the delay in releasing the figures, the poll watchdog later in the evening put out the overall figures for the two phases for which polls have been held so far.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the opposition's INDIA bloc is infected by a virus and the "vaccine" for it is the country's citizens, whose verdict on June 4 will silence its leaders.

They will be seen nowhere, he said, claiming that people will reaffirm their trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Noting that the Supreme Court recently rejected pleas seeking complete cross-verification of votes cast using EVMs with VVPAT, an independent vote verification system, Bhatia said the problem is not with the EC or the EVM but with the opposition.

The BJP spokesperson also accused the opposition alliance for making communal statements.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge recently told a candidate at a rally that his name carried "Shiva" in it and he could take on Ram, Bhatia said, alleging that the opposition party was working to divide Hindus and unite Muslims.

Congress's ally DMK also criticised Sanatan Dharma, he said.

He also highlighted the "vote jihad" call of Samajwadi Party leader Maria Alam, a niece of senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid. Alam in her appeal to Muslims asked the public to drive the BJP government out of power.

Opposition leaders are sowing "hate" and "division" in the elections, he said, adding, an FIR has been registered against Alam for her remark.

While the Modi government stands for "sabka saath sabka vikas", the opposition is talking of "vote jihad," he said.

"They cannot remove the BJP as its ties with people are bound by love," Bhatia said.