Prashant Kishor Critiques BJP's 'One Nation, One Election' Timing

Amid discussions on the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, Jan Suraj chief Prashant Kishor expressed no fundamental issue with the concept if done with genuine intentions. He criticized the BJP for leveraging it only during favorable political climates. Meanwhile, PM Modi emphasized its potential benefits to India's democracy.

In the midst of heated discussions regarding the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, Prashant Kishor, the chief of Jan Suraj, unveiled his stance. He stated that while the idea itself holds merit if pursued with genuine intentions, the BJP's current motivations appear to be politically driven. According to Kishor, the timing and discourse surrounding the initiative have been strategically aligned with the BJP's recent electoral successes.

Kishor pointed out that the concept of simultaneous elections existed before 1965 but warned against exploiting it for political gains. Referring to the upcoming split-phase elections in Jharkhand, he highlighted the contradiction in the BJP's proposal. While pushing for a unified election system, the BJP is concurrently segmenting the Jharkhand elections to provide ample campaigning time, thereby indicating a political maneuver rather than a democratic reform.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a recent address, reiterated the BJP's commitment to the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, citing its potential to optimize India's democratic process and resources. He also pointed to other successful unified frameworks, like GST and the Aadhar system, as evidence that such harmonization yields substantial national benefits. The Union Cabinet had recently approved the proposal for synchronized elections, following recommendations from a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

(With inputs from agencies.)