'Tactic to divert attention from pressing issues': Congress' Pramod Tiwari slams 'One Nation, One Election' bill
Dec 13, 2024
New Delhi [India], December 13 : Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Friday slammed the Union Cabinet approval of the 'One Nation, One Election' bill and said that the proposal is the ruling party's tactic of diverting attention from its failures.
Speaking to ANI, Pramod Tiwari said, "The BJP doesn't have two-thirds seats in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. To me, it seems like one of those boasts of PM Modi like Rs 15 lakh, 2 crore jobs, Make in India. This is his way of diverting attention from the party's failures."
Tiwari also took a dig at former President Ram Nath Kovind for supporting the bill and said, "I don't understand on what basis Ram Nath Kovind is saying that the GDP will grow by 1.5 per cent (by One Nation One Election). I know him well. He is not an economist."
Members of Congress have expressed serious reservations on the proposed move to bring "One Nation, One Election".
Meanwhile, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also spoke on the bill and said, "The Congress party has already cleared its stand as One Nation One Election is an attack on federalism and there should be a discussion on the election process in the parliament."
Key party leaders have questioned the measure's feasibility and possible effects on the nation's democratic processes, even though the Union Cabinet recently approved it.
The 'One Nation One Election' bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday paving the way for its introduction in Parliament. However, before its introduction in the Parliament, the bill initiated debate between the ruling and opposition parties.
Several parties of the INDIA bloc opposed the bill while the BJP-led NDA alliance parties welcomed this bill, saying it would save time and lay the groundwork for unified elections across the country.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the 'One Nation, One Election,' bill in the parliament, marking a significant step towards the electoral process, sources told ANI.
A comprehensive bill is expected to follow this decision, paving the way for unified elections across the nation.
Notably, in September this year, the Union Cabinet approved the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, which aims to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, along with urban body and panchayat polls, within a span of 100 days.
