The bill to formulate One Nation One Election, which was tabled in the ongoing winter session of Parliament on Tuesday, December 17, have become the latest debate between Congress and the NDA alliance. While the BJP and its NDA partners back the bill, the INDA bloc consisting of Shiv Sena UBT, Samajwadi Party, and Congress have opposed it.
Over 32 parties are supporting the Bill of One Nation One Election, and only 15 opposition parties are opposing the move. South Indian parties like Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP, BRS, and AIADMK have also backed the legislation that would enable simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha as well as state assemblies.
Also Read | 'One Nation, One Election': Congress opposes introduction of Bill, gives notice in LS.
Congress spokesperson and MP Jairam Ramesh said the party would "firmly, totally, comprehensively" oppose the introduction of the bills. Ramesh said the BJP's real objective was to bring a "new Constitution". "We believe it's unconstitutional. We believe it goes against the basic structure, and it is meant to throttle democracy and accountability in this country," Ramesh said.
Shiv Sena UBT
Shiv Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the bill was against the Constitution. "It is an attack on the Constitution. It is tampering with the election process. The BJP wants to centralise power. We don't know how cost-effective it will be. We will oppose this bill," she said.
Samajwadi Party (SP)
Samajwadi Party stated that it would oppose the legislation. "In a way, this is another conspiracy to destroy the Constitution," Akhilesh Yadav tweeted.
Trinamool Congress (TMC)
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) said the party would oppose the One Nation One Election bill "tooth and nail". "The bill will rob the people of their fundamental right to vote regularly, a right that holds governments accountable and prevents unchecked power," TMP MP Abhishek Banerjee tweeted.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said he and his party will oppose the bill. Stalin said that the bills, if passed, would eliminate the system of periodic state elections, thereby undermining regional sentiments.
TDP, YSR Congress Bill on One Nation One Election
One Nation One Election bill got support from NDA partners like Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, JD(S) and fence-sitters like YSRCP. YSRCP MP PV Mithun Reddy said the party did not have any issues with simultaneous polls. "We are already having simultaneous state elections with general elections. We don't have much issues. We will support the bill," he said.