‘One Nation, One Election’ is diversionary tactic by BJP to divert attention from Manipur,’ says Priyank Kharge

BELAGAVI: Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Friday slammed the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre over the “one nation, one election” proposal, accusing it of using the proposal as a diversionary tactic to divert attention from the ongoing crisis in Manipur and growing economic inequality across the country.

Speaking to reporters, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said, “One Nation One Election is another diversionary tactic by the BJP to divert attention from Manipur, economic disparity prevailing in the nation. They want to hide Adani’s Nexus with SEBI and their inefficacies. This is nothing but a standard operating procedure. Do they have a blueprint for it? Do they have the men and machinery required for a One Nation One Election? What will happen to the aspirations of regional parties? This is an unplanned and unconstitutional way to do things. They are trying to do one nation one religion, one nation one leader.”

Earlier today, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut slammed the “One Nation, One Election” bill, calling it the biggest threat to democracy.

Addressing a press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, “No proper amendment or research has been done about it. Modi ji always speaks his Mann ki Baat. He never thinks about what is in the mind of the public or what is in the mind of the people in opposition. I doubt whether Modi ji will remain the Prime Minister till 2029. This is the biggest threat to democracy.”

Meanwhile, JDU MP Sanjay Jha backed the “One Nation, One Election” bill saying that it would ensure that development work is not stopped due to frequent elections.

#WATCH | Belagavi | On One Nation One Election, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge says, “One Nation One Election is another diversionary tactic by the BJP to divert attention from Manipur, economic disparity prevailing in the nation. They want to hide Adani’s Nexus with SEBI and… pic.twitter.com/pIG8EyWqSw

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2024

“After independence, simultaneous elections were held in the country. But the Congress party started imposing the President’s rule in the states. The development work which gets stalled due to frequent elections will not stop after the implementation of One Nation One Election. Our party fully supports One Nation One Election,” he said.

The ‘One Nation One Election’ bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday paving the way for its introduction in Parliament. However, before its introduction in the Parliament, the bill initiated debate between the ruling and opposition parties.

Several parties of the INDIA bloc opposed the bill while the BJP-led NDA alliance parties welcomed this bill, saying, it would save time and lay the groundwork for unified elections across the country.

Notably, in September this year, the Union Cabinet approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, which aims to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, along with urban body and panchayat polls, within a span of 100 days.

The recommendations were outlined in a report by a high-level panel chaired by former President Kovind.

Following the Cabinet’s approval, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the decision, calling it a significant step towards enhancing India’s democracy.

“The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative,” PM Modi posted on X. (ANI)