Tue Sep 17 12:54:49 UTC 2024: ## Opposition Unanimously Rejects “One Nation, One Election” Proposal
**New Delhi, September 17, 2024:** The opposition bloc in India has vehemently condemned the government’s push for “one nation, one election,” asserting its unfeasibility under the current constitutional framework.
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram stated that implementing such a system would require at least five constitutional amendments, a feat he considers impossible given the ruling BJP’s lack of a majority in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
“The INDIA bloc is totally opposed to ‘one nation, one election’,” Chidambaram affirmed.
Echoing this sentiment, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate dismissed the idea as “not pragmatic,” questioning the government’s motives behind floating the idea without any concrete plans or discussions.
“How long is this government going to survive by releasing these hot air balloons to test the waters?” Shrinate rhetorically questioned, adding that “this nonsense must stop.”
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) similarly denounced the proposal as a “gimmick” by the ruling party, highlighting the lack of synchronized elections in recent state polls as evidence of its hypocrisy.
Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D. Raja also voiced his party’s opposition, emphasizing India’s diversity and the need for elections to be conducted at both the national and state levels.
“The Union government cannot snatch all powers from the state governments,” Raja stressed.
This strong opposition comes in response to reports suggesting that the BJP-led NDA government intends to implement “one nation, one election” during its current tenure.
While a high-level panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind recommended simultaneous elections as a first step, the opposition parties remain steadfast in their rejection of the idea, deeming it both impractical and unconstitutional.
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