Advertisement

Updated August 14th, 2018 at 15:19 IST

'Not possible to hold simultaneous polls immediately ', says NDA ally Nitish Kumar after BJP's 11 state proposal

In a significant development to the ongoing consultation process over 'One Nation One Poll', Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has stated that 'it is not possible to implement it immediately'

Reported by: Daamini Sharma
| Image:self
Advertisement

In a significant development to the ongoing consultation process over 'One Nation One Poll', Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has stated that 'it is not possible to implement it immediately'. This comes after BJP party president Amit Shah pushed for simultaneous polls in 11 states along with the 2019 general elections. Bihar was also included in the list of 11 states. 

Bihar underwent elections in the year 2015 and the next election is scheduled in 2020. With NDA government ( JD(U)+BJP ) in place, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was principally in favour of simultaneous polls. 

However, making a U-turn, the Bihar Chief Minister made it clear that,"It is not possible to hold elections of Lok Sabha and all the legislative assemblies together. It is not possible. Conceptually it is right but immediately it is not possible".

Earlier, BJP proposed a game-changing 11-state theory where they are looking forward to holding an all-party meeting over the matter to push for simultaneous polls in 11 states along with the 2019 general elections.  

Read: One Nation-One Poll: Here's What The Gamechanging 11-state Theory Being Proposed By The BJP Is All About 

The 11 states include the following:

  1. Madhya Pradesh
  2. Chhattisgarh
  3. Rajasthan
  4. Mizoram
  5. Odisha 
  6. Telangana
  7. Andhra Pradesh
  8. Haryana
  9. Maharashtra
  10. Jharkhand
  11. Bihar

How will the '11 state theory' be implemented?

  • Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha are already scheduled to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls
  • Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand are to be held in the months after the general elections
  • The states, in which NDA governments are currently in power, could see assembly elections being brought forward to coincide with the all-important elections of the lower house
  • Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram which are to go to polls later in 2018, could be pushed back to 2019

While no constitutional change likely to be required for the proposal, the BJP may call for an all-party meeting in the next fortnight, as per sources. 

Proponents of 'One Nation One Poll' cite the following benefits:

  • More governance, less disruption
  • Massive savings for the exchequer
  • No exhausting of resources for repeated polls
  • Better utilization of security resources
  • Mitigating scope for dirty campaigns
  • Polarisation won't be a bi-annual affair
  • The boost in long-term productivity of both house
Advertisement

Published August 14th, 2018 at 15:15 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo