NCP-SP leader and political activist Fahad Ahmad, who is also the husband of actor Swara Bhasker, has stirred a political storm with his bold statement. Ahmad declared he would not contest elections for the next 20 years if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins a poll conducted through ballot papers. The remark came during a heated exchange on X (formerly Twitter), where Ahmad was addressing concerns about electoral transparency.
Ahmad, who recently lost the Maharashtra Assembly election from the Anushakti Nagar constituency, shared his concerns about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPAT systems. He posted a picture of a form he had submitted to request verification of two Control Units (CU), Ballot Units (BU), and VVPAT booths. Ahmad highlighted the prohibitive cost of verification, stating, “To safeguard the trust of people in the electoral system of our country, I have filled the request for the verification of 2 CU/BU/VVPAT booths. ECI is charging Rs. 47,200 per booth, which is a huge amount. Otherwise, I would have applied for 13 booths.”
The discussion escalated when an X user named Kedar offered to fund the verification for all 13 booths, attaching conditions. The user proposed that if discrepancies were found, the funds would be considered a gift. If no issues were detected, Ahmad would have to return the money with an additional Rs. 25 lakh. The user further suggested formalizing the arrangement through a legal contract.
Responding sharply, Ahmad said, “You tell your father Narendra Modi to conduct elections through ballot papers. If he wins, I will not contest elections for 20 years. As far as your money is concerned, we do not use the money of those who break the country.”
Ahmad’s statement has reignited debates over the reliability of EVMs and the demand for ballot paper-based elections. Critics have often alleged that EVMs lack transparency, although the Election Commission of India has consistently defended their accuracy and reliability.
In the recent Maharashtra Assembly polls, Ahmad, representing Sharad Pawar’s faction of the NCP, was defeated by Sana Malik from Ajit Pawar’s faction by a margin of 3,378 votes. Ahmad had previously been associated with the Samajwadi Party as a youth leader but joined the NCP shortly before the elections.
Ahmad’s comments are expected to fuel further political discourse as parties prepare for upcoming state and general elections, with issues of electoral credibility and transparency taking center stage.