Opposition Parties in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday demanded that all future elections be held using ballot papers and not electronic voting machines, after the Bharatiya Janata Party swept the civic polls in the state, PTI reported.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, who in March raised doubts over the electronic voting machines after the Assembly elections, asked the BJP to hold the 2019 Lok Sabha polls using ballot papers. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary alleged the BJP had misused EVMs to win 14 mayoral contests.

“If the BJP claims they enjoy the mandate of the people and the country is with them, then they should set aside EVMs and hold elections through ballot paper,” Mayawati said, PTI reported.

Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav tweeted: “BJP has only won 15% seats in ballot paper areas and 46% in the EVM areas.”

The Congress which did not make a mark also said the ruling party performed better where polls were held through EVMs. “The BJP won 14 of the 16 mayoral seats in areas where elections were held using EVMs,” said senior Congress leader Deepak Singh. “But, it lost most of the seats where elections was held using ballot paper.”

The BJP, however, called the allegations “baseless”. State BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey said opposition parties were indulging in propaganda only to hide their disappointment following the electoral losses.