NEW DELHI, 1 Sep: The government has constituted a committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of ‘one nation, one election’, sources said on Friday.
The move comes a day after the government called a special session of Parliament between 18 and 22 September, the agenda for which is under wraps.
Over the years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pushed strongly for the idea of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls, and the decision to task Kovind to look into it underscores the governm-ent’s seriousness as a host of elections approach.
Assembly polls are due in five states in November-December and they will be followed by the Lok Sabha elections in May-June next year.
However, the recent moves by the government have thrown open the possibility of advancing the general elections and some state polls which are scheduled after and with the Lok Sabha contest.
Oppn leaders question move
Meanwhile, opposition leaders slammed the government’s move to set up the committee, alleging that it would pose a threat to the federal structure of the country.
They alleged that the ongoing meeting of the INDIA alliance has rattled the ruling BJP, which caused the government to set up a committee.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called the government’s move a “diversion and distraction.”
“No matter how many diversions and distractions the ruling regime throws at the people, the citizens of India shall not be betrayed anymore,” Kharge said on X, without making any direct reference to the formation of the committee.
Kharge asserted that the countdown of this “autocratic government’s” exit has begun, and that “140 crore Indians have decided to usher change.”
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that the ‘one nation, one election’ move happened because of the INDIA alliance meeting, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that “the country is already one, and no one is questioning that.”
“We demand fair elections, not ‘one nation, one election’. This move of ‘one nation, one election’ is being brought to divert attention from our demand for fair election,” he added.
The Rajya Sabha member also questioned the need for a special session of Parliament, scheduled to be held from 18 to 22 September, during the Ganpati festival.
CPI leader D Raja said that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi always talks about India being the mother of democracy but the government has taken a unilateral decision without discussing with other political parties.”
Priyanka Kakkar of the Aam Aadmi Party said that the move betrays the “panic” in the ruling party after it saw the unity of opposition parties under the INDIA bloc.
“First they reduced LPG prices by Rs 200, and now the panic is so much that they are thinking of amending the Constitution. They have realised that they are not winning the upcoming elections.
“Also, can this move take care of inflation or high prices of petrol and diesel? Our Constitution was framed after a lot of discussion, and what they want to do poses a threat to federalism,” Kakkar told PTI.
Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said that the BJP is scared of the INDIA alliance, and hence wants to hold polls early.
“The central government is afraid of the manner in which 28 parties have come together and are meeting for a third time. It wants to conduct the (Lok Sabha) elections earlier and for that, a special session of the Parliament has been called,” he said.
Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena (UBT) echoed them. “The government announced a special session amid festivals. What is the urgency? The BJP is nervous as this is its last leg, which is why it is trying to show off power.” (PTI)
