Political Showdown: Simultaneous Poll Bills Stir Federal Structure Debate

The BJP is considering key MPs for a panel to evaluate bills on simultaneous elections, with Congress, Trinamool Congress, and other representatives also in the mix. The proposed bills, criticized by opposition as undermining federalism, were introduced in the Lok Sabha amid heated debates.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is weighing the inclusion of seasoned MPs, including Ravi Shankar Prasad and Nishikant Dubey, for a parliamentary panel tasked with scrutinizing two significant simultaneous poll bills. Congress has nominated Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Manish Tewari to join the scrutiny effort, sources indicate.

In addition to Gandhi and Tewari, the Congress party named Sukhdeo Bhagat and Randeep Surjewala to potentially serve on this joint parliamentary committee. Further representation in the 31-member panel, comprising 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha, is expected from Trinamool Congress politicians Kalyan Banerjee and Saket Gokhale, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde, JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha, and DMK's T M Selvaganapathi and P Wilson.

BJP's Anurag Thakur and P P Chaudhary are also speculated to be considered for the majority-securing panel, strategically filled with its allies. This move follows the introduction of the 'One Nation One Election' bills in the Lok Sabha, which requires constitutional amendments to facilitate simultaneous elections. These bills were met with stark criticism from opposition members who claimed it could disrupt the country's federal structure, a concern dismissed by the ruling party as it argues the measures would curb frequent electoral disruptions of developmental projects.

(With inputs from agencies.)