‘Attack on Union, and all states’: Rahul Gandhi slams ‘One Nation, One Election’

Sep 03, 2023 01:42 PM IST

The Centre on Friday announced a panel to explore the possibility of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly elections.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit out at Centre's ‘One Nation, One Election’ push, calling it an attack on the Indian union and all its states.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

“INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the 🇮🇳 Union and all its States”, Gandhi posted on X, formerly called Twitter.

The Centre on Friday announced a panel to explore the possibility of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly elections. The committee chaired by former president Ram Nath Kovind comprises Union home minister Amit Shah, Congress Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former leader of opposition Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former chairman of 15th Finance Commission NK Singh, former Lok Sabha general secretary Subash Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve and former chief vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari. Arjun Ram Meghwal,MoS law, will attend the meetings of the high-level committee as a special invitee.

The panel will examine and recommend holding simultaneous Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, municipalities and panchayat elections keeping in view the existing framework under the constitution and other statutory provisions.

ALSO READ: One nation, one election: What is the rationale, can it work and other questions answered

Adhir Ranjan refuses to join panel

However, politics has erupted over the move with Congress leader of Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury refusing to join the panel.

"I have no hesitation whatsoever in declining to serve on the Committee whose terms of reference have been prepared in a manner to guarantee its conclusions. It is, I am afraid, a total eyewash. Moreover, the sudden attempt to thrust a constitutionally suspect, pragmatically non-feasible and logistically unimplementable idea on the nation, months before the general elections, raises serious concerns about ulterior motives of the government," Chowdhury said in a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj told ANI,"It looks like the Central Government is afraid. They want to win anyhow. After INDIA alliance has been formed, they are thinking of new ways to form the government".

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