Mumbai: Newly-elected Congress MLAs in Maharashtra on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution authorising party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to appoint the new legislature party leader and chief whip in the state assembly.

The Congress’ state unit will launch a signature campaign to demand that ballot papers be used in the elections instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs) as the results of the Maharashtra assembly elections were not in sync with public sentiments, a party leader said.

These decisions were taken at the Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting held here.

The Congress, which contested 101 seats in the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections, could win only 16, registering its worst ever performance in the state.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, state Congress chief Nana Patole said, “The newly-elected Congress MLAs unanimously passed a resolution authorising party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to appoint a new leader of the legislature party and chief whip in the assembly.” The resolution passed by the legislature party has been sent to the party high command, he said.

“Our party will launch a signature campaign to demand elections using ballot papers. The election mandate in Maharashtra was not in sync with people’s sentiments…People of the state are surprised at the verdict which gave a landslide win for the Mahayuti. They are asking how the ruling alliance won even as they did not vote for it,” he said.

“We will fight for people’s will and save democracy,” Patole added.

During the meeting, the party leaders and newly-elected legislators expressed doubt over the functioning of EVMs, saying the mandate was not in sync with public sentiments.

Patole, senior party leaders, including former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, minister Balasaheb Thorat and senior MLA Vijay Wadettiwar said they had lots of complaints about EVMs.

Thorat and Chavan lost the state elections from the Sanganmer and Karad South assembly constituencies respectively.

Thorat said he has fought nine assembly elections so far, of which he won eight.

“I know the nook and corner of my constituency. Everyone in the constituency says my defeat is not possible,” he said.

Patole said although four days have passed, there is no government in place in the state.

“The chief minister will be decided by a friend who wants such a CM who will blindly give his signature to give away Mumbai’s land. The Mahayuti is not concerned about farmers, unemployment and inflation,” Patole alleged without naming anyone.

“We want to make the signature campaign for ballot papers a people’s movement,” he said.

The signature campaign will be carried out across the state and a memorandum will be submitted to the Election Commission and the President of India, the MLA from Sakoli said.

”Saving democracy is our duty and people are supreme. People’s mandate is for a ballot paper,” he said.