‘Attempt to divert attention,’ India’s Opposition parties reject Modi’s One Nation One Election plan
The proposal was green-lighted by PM Modi-led Union Cabinet on Wednesday (Sep 18).
India’s major opposition political parties have opposed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "One Nation One Election" (ONOE) proposal, calling it non-practical and non-pragmatic. The proposal was green-lighted by PM Modi-led Union Cabinet on Wednesday (Sep 18). The chief of Congress, India’s principal opposition party, termed the move "an attempt to divert the attention of the public".
"When elections come, they (the BJP) are not getting any issues to raise. So they divert attention from real issues," said party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
Later in a post on X, Kharge said the proposal was against the Constitution. "This is against the Constitution, this is contrary to democracy, this is against federalism. The country will never accept this," he wrote.
It is to be noted that once implemented, the ONOE scheme would see simultaneous Lok Sabha (parliamentary) and Assembly elections. The plan is backed by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the country’s top court, the Supreme Court of India (SC).
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief, headed by Asaduddin Owaisi, also opposed the idea, saying it would destroy federalism in the country.
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“It destroys federalism and compromises democracy, which are part of the basic structure of the constitution,” Owaisi said.
He added that multiple elections caused problems for no one but PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Just because they have a compulsive need to campaign in even municipal & local body elections does not mean that we need simultaneous polls. Frequent & periodic elections improve democratic accountability,” he added.
The CPM party also alleged that the government is trying to replace parliamentary democracy by slipping in a presidential form of government "through the back-door".
Challenges ahead
Implementing the One Nation One Election model would require a two-thirds majority in parliament as it mandates amendment to the Constitution.
Now, the NDA alliance lacks a one-third majority in both houses of the Indian Parliament. It has 292 of 545 seats in the Lok Sabha, (the lower house)and 119 seats out of 234 in the Rajya Sabha(the upper house).
(With inputs from agencies)