Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy and other guests participating in an awareness programme on One Nation One Election by the Forum for Nationalist Thinkers, in Hyderabad on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chauhan said the time has come for the country to go for simultaneous elections to both the Parliament and State Assemblies through the proposed ‘One Nation-One Vote’ saving time and money for the country’s development.

Addressing a nationwide national awareness campaign for intellectuals here on Sunday on a virtual mode from Nagpur, Mr. Chouhan said the idea of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have a single election is very ‘progressive’ and said the latter always puts the nation first before the party.

The Minister stated that the recent general elections cost ₹1.35 lakh crore and including the polls to various Assemblies as well as expenditure of the candidates could be to the tune of ₹7 lakh crore. Apart from such a huge cost, frequent polls is leading to policy paralysis, political instability, to works and other economic activity due to the model code of conduct, he said.

His cabinet colleague, Union Minister of Coal & Mines and Telangana BJP president G. Kishan Reddy too echoed his sentiments and claimed that frequent elections have become a stumbling block for the country’s development and progress.

“The Modi government alone can take up big step reforms like it did in bringing out the GST, abrogation of Article 370, new criminal act and CAA. Similarly, it can bring about the ‘One Nation-One Vote’. But, there is a need to sensitise people about the need and bring pressure on political parties for the same for the sake of the future generations,” he said.

National convenor for the campaign Anil Antony claimed that an overwhelming majority have already supported the initiative already as it helps in the economic progress of the country. If any State government falls during the five-year period, the next government formed in a mid-term poll will be in power for rest of the period only, he said. BJP national general secretary Sunil Bansal, state convenor N. Ramchander Rao, MP Konda Viveswara Reddy, Bar Council of Telangana president A. Narasimha Reddy and others participated.