Nagpur, Sep 25 (PTI) Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja on Wednesday said the `one nation, one election’ concept was not practical for a country like India, and it was an attempt to undermine the Constitution.
He was speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of the two-day national executive meeting of the CPI and commemoration of the 100th birth anniversary of late CPI leader A B Bardhan.
The BJP-led Union government earlier this month accepted the report of a high-level panel recommending simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies.
“They are undermining the Constitution under the so-called `one nation, one election’. It is not practically possible in a country like ours,” Raja said.
The CPI had conveyed to the law commission its opposition to the proposal, he said.
“When Kovind committee started taking the views of political parties, I myself again submitted my party’s view and CPI is consistently maintaining a position that it is not in favour and `one nation, one election’ will lead to authoritarian rule and dictatorship,” said Raja.
India is a country with tremendous diversities, he said, claiming that simultaneous elections would destabilize the present arrangement and destroy constitutional rights of the people.
At the national executive committee meeting which began on Wednesday, the CPI is discussing the current political situation in the country and the tasks before the party to fight the right-wing conservative policies and forces represented by BJP-RSS combine, Raja said.
Future of India lies in the future of the Left, and it must emerge as a strong force in Indian politics, he said, adding that the party was discussing how it should be achieved.
The Narendra Modi government continues to pursue the same “disastrous policies” in its third term, Raja said, adding that while the prime minister is claiming that he will make India the third largest economy in the world, the economy is in bad shape.
PM Modi keeps talking about 2047, but he has nothing to say about 1947 because the predecessors of the BJP had no role in the freedom movement, the communist leader said, adding that the talk of 2047 shows “how bankrupt they are ideologically and politically.” He maintained that the CPI’s political and ideological influence continues.
“But there is a gap in the electoral performance and we are trying to bring more young people and more women also (in the party fold). We are striving to bridge the gender gap. We are also bringing young people and women in policy-making bodies. There is a change,” he said.
Asked about Union minister Nitin Gadkari expressing his high regard for late A B Bardhan, Raja said, “Gadkari among the BJP leaders…I find him a sobre and reasonable person. He raised the issue of GST on medical insurance well. But, he is part of the RSS and he follows the right-wing ideology, there we fight.” The INDIA bloc of Opposition was likely to do well in Maharashtra elections, the CPI leader said.
“We are also saying that NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) should be more accommodative and they must accommodate other parties. I hope that Pawar will see that the Left parties will be accommodated in the seat-sharing,” Raja said.
He, however, parried a question about how many seats the Left parties were seeking, saying they were contesting for a reasonable presence in the assembly. PTI CLS KRK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.