One Nation, One Election: NDA allies cheer as Opposition slams BJP ‘gimmick’, say ’Modi does not have majority to…’

Opposition leaders lashed out at the Narendra Modi government on Monday amid efforts to implement the ‘One Nation, One Election’ policy. Members of the Congress, TMC and CPI dubbed it a BJP ‘gimmick’ that could not be executed by the current NDA coalition.

“One Nation, One Election is not possible under the present Constitution. It requires at least five constitutional amendments. Modi does not have the majority to put those constitutional amendments in either in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha,” said former Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien insisted that this was ‘just another gimmick’ from the BJP while CPI general secretary D Raja called for the Central government to ‘ensure a level-playing field’.

The backlash came after source-based reports indicated that the Modi government planned to introduce One Nation, One Election during its current term in office. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also advocated for simultaneous assembly and parliamentary polls during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

"Continuous elections in the country are causing headraces in development. Welfare schemes in the country are now linked to the elections. Every three to six months we have elections, every work in the country is now linked to elections. A wide range of discussions have already happened. Every political party has already expressed their views. A committee has already submitted the report on this. The nation must come forward for One Nation-One Election. I request all political parties from the Red Fort to come forward for One Nation-One Election," he had said.

A high-level panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind in March this year recommended simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.

Separately, the Law Commission is likely to recommend holding simultaneous polls for all three tiers of government -- Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies like municipalities and panchayats -- starting with 2029 and a provision for unity government in cases like hung house or no-confidence motion.

(With inputs from agencies)