GUWAHATI, Sept 1: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday hailed the Centre for constituting a committee to explore the feasibility of ‘one nation, one election’, while the opposition parties questioned the ‘hurried’ way in which the panel was formed and termed it an attempt to “break the country’s federal structure”.
“Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a landmark decision by appointing the commission. I am glad that a person of the stature of Ram Nath Kovind ji has accepted the offer of the PM,” Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Nagaon.
Sarma maintained that multiple elections leads to more expenditure and development also suffers.
Congress leader Debabrata Saikia, questioning the intention of the government, said “there was no need to form it so hurriedly”.
“There seems to be some ulterior motive. A special session of Parliament has been called. If it (Bill for simultaneous elections) is introduced, it will definitely show that there is political motivation,” he said.
Vice-president of Raijor Dal Rasel Hussain alleged that the concept of ‘one nation, one election’ under current circumstances is an attempt to make the Hindi belt of north-central India as the deciding factor and break the federal structure of the country. (PTI)
