In a vociferous denunciation, Rahul Gandhi, the prominent Congress leader, vehemently criticized the notion of ‘One Nation, One Election,’ characterizing it as a frontal assault on the federal fabric of the Indian Union.
Gandhi articulated his discontent through an expressive post on X, stating, “INDIA, that is Bharat, stands as a Union of States. The proposition of ‘one nation, one election’ is nothing short of an audacious affront to the Union and all its constituent States.”
Meanwhile, another senior Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, launched a scathing diatribe against the BJP-led central government concerning the establishment of a high-level committee tasked with deliberating upon ‘One Nation, One Election.’ Ramesh’s critique delved into the perceived dubious timing of this committee’s formation, denoting it as “highly suspect” and lamenting the seemingly preordained nature of its mandates.
This contentious matter emerged merely a day after Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a distinguished Congress Member of Parliament, declined participation in the eight-member committee, chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The committee’s mandate, to scrutinize and proffer recommendations regarding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state Assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats, drew pointed rebuke from Chowdhury.
Chowdhury’s letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, wherein he unequivocally refused committee membership, underscored his suspicions regarding the “terms of reference,” which he surmised had been meticulously tailored to predetermine the committee’s conclusions. He characteristically termed the entire exercise as a mere “eyewash.”
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar interjected, asserting that the ‘one nation, one election’ concept not only harbored the potential for fiscal frugality but also promised a more predictable electoral cycle. In a veiled jab at the Congress party, Chandrasekhar contended that such an idea perturbed parties reliant on an appeal to economically disadvantaged segments of society, thereby implicitly alluding to Congress.
Furthermore, Chandrasekhar expounded that the ‘one nation, one election’ notion was aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a progressive India, accentuating economic growth and development, as opposed to a regressive agenda.
The unfolding imbroglio regarding the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal illustrates the profundity of political discord and ideational divergence, encapsulating the divergent trajectories envisioned by India’s political protagonists.
