AGARTALA, Sept 3: Former Tripura chief minister and CPI(M)
leader Manik Sarkar has slammed the Centre for the formation
of a panel to explore the feasibility of ‘one nation, one election’
and calling a special Parliament session this month, stating that
the BJP is “scared” of the opposition bloc INDIA.
Sarkar, the CPI(M) politburo member, claimed that the “Centre
is reportedly planning to bring a new bill in the Lok Sabha to
implement ‘one nation, one election’ idea”.
“The Narendra Modi government has convened a special
session of Parliament without unfolding the agenda just a few
days after the conclusion of the Monsoon session.
“In a democracy, the government can convene such a special
session but what is the motive? The Centre is reportedly
planning to bring a new bill to implement the ‘one nation, one
election’ idea,” he said on Saturday during an election rally at
Manaipathar under the Dhanpur Assembly constituency in
Sepahijala district.
Bypolls to Dhanpur and Boxanagar Assembly seats in Sepahijala
district will be held on September 5.
Sarkar also claimed that the BJP is “apprehensive” about the
electoral outcome in the upcoming assembly polls in five states
and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“They are scared of the opposition alliance INDIA. It will be
tough for the BJP to return to Delhi if the saffron party faces
defeat in the upcoming assembly elections in five states. That’s
the reason, it contemplates to push one nation one idea before
the next general elections,” the CPI(M) leader said.
The Centre has constituted the committee headed by former
president Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of ‘one
nation, one election’.
The move comes after the government called a special session
of Parliament between September 18 and 22, the agenda for
which is under wraps.
In Tripura, the BJP’s vote share has reduced from 51 per cent in
2018 to 39 per cent in the 2023 Assembly elections and its seat
count has also slipped from 46 to 33 during the period, Sarkar
added.
