Chidambaram Criticizes BJP’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ Initiative

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has expressed his criticism of the ‘one nation, one election’ proposal put forward by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. He emphasized that such a plan is currently not feasible under the present Constitution, as it would necessitate a minimum of five constitutional amendments.

Addressing reporters on Monday, Chidambaram pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi lacks the political majority required to secure these amendments in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. This comment comes after reports suggested that the NDA government intends to introduce a bill for ‘one nation, one election’ within its current term at the Centre.

The concept of ‘one nation, one election’ has been a notable aspect of the BJP’s manifesto, with Prime Minister Modi advocating for it during his recent Independence Day address. The Prime Minister argues that frequent elections create obstacles to the nation’s development and has urged political parties to support the initiative as a means to reduce logistical expenses and allow governance to prevail.

Chidambaram dismissed claims made by Prime Minister Modi that the Congress aims to abolish the reservation system. He noted that the Congress party has been advocating for the removal of the 50 percent reservation ceiling and is pushing for a caste census to ensure that reservation reflects the country’s demographics.

Regarding upcoming elections, Chidambaram addressed inquiries about whether the Congress would announce its chief ministerial candidate for the Haryana assembly elections scheduled for October 5, explaining that the party typically does not reveal a candidate prior to the elections.

Further criticizing the ruling government, Chidambaram attacked the BJP-led state administration over issues such as unemployment and state debt, urging the public to support Congress for the betterment of Haryana’s growth, agriculture, and industry.