Cong opposes One Nation, One Poll

Party president Kharge wants the idea be abandoned and high-powered panel dissolved.

The Congress on Friday strongly opposed the idea of holding simultaneous elections in the country and said it goes against the guarantees of federalism and the basic structure of the Constitution.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge party also demanded that the idea be abandoned and the high-powered committee formed in this regard be dissolved, according to news agency PTI.

In a letter to the secretary of the committee on one nation, one election, he requested former President Ram Nath Kovind, who heads the panel, not to allow his persona and the office of the former president to be “abused” by the central government to “subvert” the Constitution and Parliamentary democracy.

“The Indian National Congress is strongly opposed to the very idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’. For the sake of maintaining a thriving and a robust democracy, it is imperative that the entire idea must be abandoned and the high-powered committee dissolved,” Kharge said in his letter to Niten Chandra, the secretary of the committee.

“On behalf of the Congress party and the people of the country, I humbly request the Chairman of the high-level committee not to allow his persona and the office of the former president of India to be abused by the Union government to subvert the constitution and parliamentary democracy in this country,” Kharge said in his letter.

His letter came in response to Chandra’s letter of October 18 where he had invited suggestions for consideration of the high level committee consituted by the government for the purpose of one nation, one election.

“The government, parliament and ECI should work together to ensure people’s mandate is respected rather than divert people’s attention by talking about undemocratic ideas like simultaneous elections,” Kharge said.

He said the composition of the committee is “biased” as it was formed without giving substantial representation to the Opposition parties that head various state governments that would be affected by the recommendations of this committee.
He said the composition of the committee is “biased” as it was formed without giving substantial representation to the Opposition parties that head various state governments that would be affected by the recommendations of this committee.

Firm views in support of the proposal have already been expressed in public and a dispassionate analysis of pros and cons is not being attempted in a serious and systematic manner,” the Congress chief said in his response.

He said that in the last 10 years the only instances where the chief ministers have lost the confidence of the house have been when one particular party has abused the government machinery at its disposal and subverted the anti-defection law to “steal” people’s mandate.

“The holding of simultaneous elections would require the dissolution of several legislative assemblies which are still halfway (or less) through their terms. This would be a betrayal of the electorate in those states,” the Congress chief claimed.