Latest news with #OneNationOneElection
India Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Karunanidhi once backed One Nation One Election: Pawan Kalyan reminds MK Stalin
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Monday appealed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to reconsider his opposition to the 'One Nation One Election' (ONOE) policy and support the proposal in the national interest. Describing the ONOE not just as a political or administrative change but as a significant economic reform, Kalyan urged all parties to accept the idea and move forward with a focus on is a constraint of time. Let's accept ONOE and move forward embracing development,' said Kalyan, who is also the president of the Janasena Party, an ally of the BJP. He was speaking at a seminar on ONOE organised by the BJP in Chennai. Referencing the late Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) patriarch M Karunanidhi, Kalyan recalled that simultaneous elections were once advocated by Karunanidhi during his tenure as Chief Minister in 1971. 'He wanted this to happen. But, today the sad part is the (same) DMK is opposing it. Those opposing ONOE should go and read Karunanidhi's argument in his autobiography 'Nenjuku Neethi' in favour of simultaneous elections,' he claimed that Karunanidhi had asked the Centre to set up a committee to restore simultaneous polls, which he said was precisely what the national leadership was now pursuing. 'That's exactly what is being done today. The national leadership is implementing the vision of none other than Karunanidhi, his thought. It is strange and bizarre that MK Stalin is opposing what his father has proposed. We should all look into it,' he further urged the Chief Minister Stalin to revisit the Tamil Nadu Assembly's resolution against ONOE and consider its potential to strengthen India's democratic framework by improving governance efficiency, optimising the use of resources, and enabling broader national that he came from a regional political background himself, Kalyan said he understood the DMK's concerns regarding issues such as the imposition of Hindi and state-specific matters. However, he stressed that personal or party agendas should not be allowed to impede national progress. 'Political stability and having a foothold is different. Our individual agenda should not hamper the growth of the people. It should create stability for people, not instability,' he to concerns around federalism and state autonomy, Kalyan suggested that such matters could be resolved through constructive dialogue. 'We will see that we have enough robust constitutional safeguards and a phased implementation approach that respects India's diverse regional entities. I request the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to reconsider and take this ONOE policy decision forward,' he the idea of simultaneous elections, the Janasena leader said that the current model of staggered elections had created an almost perpetual electoral cycle, consuming time and focus that should be devoted to governance. 'Where is the time for growth, stability and economic prosperity? The focus of consistent governance is inevitably diluted,' he also criticised opposition parties, including the DMK and its allies, for labelling the ONOE proposal as anti-federal. Questioning their position, Kalyan asked why Karunanidhi, regarded by them as a defender of federal rights, had supported the same idea they now about his personal connection with Tamil Nadu, Kalyan said the state, which he described as the land of Thiruvalluvar, Subramaniya Bharati, MG Ramachandran, Jallikattu, Siddhars, and Lord Murugan, had deeply influenced him throughout his life. IN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh#Tamil Nadu
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pawan Kalyan questions DMK's opposition to ‘One Nation, One Election'; recalls Karunanidhi's support
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Monday (May 26, 2025) said Tamil Nadu isn't a stranger to the concept of 'One Nation, One Election' as it has experienced simultaneous elections from 1952 to 1967. He pointed out that former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, whose DMK is opposing the policy today, had insisted that simultaneous elections must continue in Tamil Nadu when the cycle was broken after 1967. Speaking at a seminar on 'One Nation, One Election' in Chennai, Mr. Kalyan said simultaneous elections were not an untested theory; 'our country had successfully implemented it in its formative years,' and the policy is not just a political reform, but also economical, administrative, and governance reform. 'In the most difficult early decades, Bharat demonstrated remarkable unity and administrative capability by holding synchronised elections for two decades. Today, whoever is opposing 'One Nation One Election' should read Kalaignar Karunanidhi's argument in favour of simultaneous elections in 'Nenjukku Needhi'. He urged the Centre to constitute a committee to restore simultaneous elections. That's what is being done today. National leadership is implementing the vision and dreams of Kalaignar Karunanidhi. It is strange that Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin is opposing what his father proposed,' he said. Mr. Kalyan said there is wastage of public funds, loss of man-days and focus, and constant mudslinging by various political parties. 'Development is taking a backseat. If young and resource-constrained India could achieve a system akin to 'One Nation, One Election', then what is preventing a strong, technologically advanced Bharat from achieving it now? Ruling parties are constantly strategising for the next election – formulating populist measures and deploying leaders for campaigns... this can sometimes lead to policy decisions being influenced by electoral considerations rather than genuine needs of the people,' he said. Mr. Kalyan said the argument that such a policy would benefit the national parties instead of regional parties, considering the examples of Odisha in 2019 and 2024 and Telangana, doesn't have any strength. 'In 2019, people of Odisha opted for a regional party in the State and the BJP in Parliament. The DMK and INDI Alliance argue that it is anti-federal. If it is so, why did Kalaignar Karunanidhi support it? I only request CM Stalin to revisit and consider its potential,' he said. Meeting reporters after the event, Mr. Kalyan said people are smart and they know how to vote. He added he doesn't want to underestimate actor Vijay and his entry into politics.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Over 5k bodies give thumbs up to One Nation One Election
1 2 3 Lucknow: Groundswell for the BJP-backed One Nation One Election (ONOE) campaign may well be building up. Over 5,000 organisations, including local bodies, lent their support to the campaign, prompting the saffron outfit to step up its feedback-gaining exercise. UP BJP state general secretary and co-convener of the ONOE committee, Anup Gupta said that nearly 5,300 local bodies, including nagar panchayats, nagar palika parishads, nagar nigams, kshetra panchayats, gram panchayats and even cooperative societies, sent their letters of support to the President. "We also collected the copies of their support proposals. This clearly shows that the issue found significant resonance at the ground level," he told TOI on Thursday. Sources said that the BJP mobilised civil society, including NGOs and professionals, to give their feedback as part of an extensive outreach campaign aimed at building consensus for simultaneous elections across India. Early this year, the BJP launched a pan-India campaign to raise awareness about its ambitious plan for simultaneous elections and build broad public consensus around it. The advocacy, sources said, is essentially guided by a central BJP committee led by Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, with BJP general secretary Sunil Bansal as the national coordinator. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Panels have also been formed at the state level to take the message forward. The outreach focused on facilitating meetings on the need for ONOE with various sections of society, including academia, doctors, lawyers, traders, ex-servicemen, youth, women, farmers and sportspersons, as well as elected bodies like panchayats, nagar palikas and zila parishads. Deliverables of the campaign include pro-ONOE resolutions being passed by these bodies and organisations, all addressed to President Droupadi Murmu. A senior BJP functionary said that the campaign primarily aims to highlight its potential to reduce electoral expenditure and strengthen national unity. He stressed that the idea aligns with the Constitution's preamble, promoting a unified national identity. The BJP has been a vocal proponent of ONOE. Senior party functionaries have been arguing that frequent elections disrupt governance and development. Implementing ONOE could boost GDP by 1-1.5% by providing govts with more stable time for development work, the BJP stated. The opposition parties, including Congress, SP and BSP, however, have been vocal against the ONOE, believing that it would undermine the federal structure of the Indian Constitution and the states may lose autonomy. The BJP has been dismissing concerns that ONOE would harm regional parties, citing the historical precedent of simultaneous elections from 1951 to 1967.
News18
21-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
'One Nation One Election' Will Ensure Uninterrupted Governance: Uttarakhand CM Dhami To JPC
Last Updated: Dhami strongly advocated for the implementation of this initiative, which he said would be great for hilly states like Uttarakhand On Wednesday, the joint parliamentary committee examining the One Nation One Election plan moved from Mumbai to its next destination, Uttarakhand. The committee meeting was held in Dehradun, the capital city of Uttarakhand. Apart from several officials and the Uttarakhand assembly speaker who came before the committee, state chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami came to the meeting in support of the legislation that is being proposed. Dhami strongly advocated for the implementation of this initiative, which he said would be great for hilly states like Uttarakhand, whose demography is much different when compared to the plains. 'Uttarakhand is a state where the wrath of nature is evident during the monsoons. Between June and September, it is impossible to hold any elections here," he said. The CM also added that the months of April to May could be a good time to hold polls in the state. However, he said, frequent elections ensure that several departments take a backseat, affecting governance. Dhami is said to have quoted that in the last assembly election, the expenditure ran into Rs 162 crore, whereas the 2024 Lok Sabha election officially cost Rs 212 crore. 'If we have both the elections together, it will help the state utilise its money better. If we go by the sheer numbers, we will save 40% of the expense if both elections are held together. This 40% expense saved can be used for the development of the state and to take Uttarakhand's contribution towards Viksit Bharat," he said. 'The last five years have seen more than 175 days of productive work lost due to the imposition of the model code of conduct and elections, but that is also not including the Panchayati Raj elections; else, the number would be much larger," Dhami pointed out. 'Given the tough terrain of the state, it is pretty difficult for voters to stay enthusiastic to come and vote for every election. It is a tough task to conduct the election in a state where, in certain locations, it takes the election teams close to 3 days to reach." 'Elections, multiple times, do not only cause a break in governance but also impact one of the most important aspects of governance, which is education," said Dhami. He argued that Uttarakhand does not have too much private infrastructure, and most of the schooling is in government-run schools. 'When we have elections, we need to pull out teachers from schooling duties. 45,000 teachers from 16,000 government schools get deployed for elections, which actually causes a significant dent in the continuity of education," the Uttarakhand chief minister added. Speaking in the same tone as Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, who says that there is no threat to the existence of regional parties in case of this initiative getting implemented, Dhami also argued that people are smart, and they know exactly what and who they have to vote for. People today understand what national issues are and what regional issues can be, and are capable of voting separately. 'We should not undermine the wisdom of our people to cast their vote," Dhami is said to have told the meeting. The panel was announced during the last winter session of Parliament after the Centre said it was keen on sending the bill for parliamentary scrutiny after its introduction in the Lok Sabha. It is headed by former minister and Lok Sabha MP PP Chaudhary and has 39 members, including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The panel has several eminent lawyers like MPs Manish Tewari, P Wilson and Kalyan Banerjee. Other opposition MPs who are part of the panel are Supriya Sule from the NCP (SP), Randeep Surjewala and Mukul Wasnik from the Congress, and Anil Desai from Shiv Sena (UBT). On the ruling side, members include former union minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Baijayant Panda, Bhartruhari Mahtab, and Anil Baluni from the BJP. Shrikant Shinde from the Shiv Sena and Harish Balayogi from the TDP, among others, are also part of the JPC.
News18
19-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
ONOE To Help Focus On Good Governance By Saving Time, Money: Fadnavis, Shinde Appear Before JPC
Last Updated: This was the first time the joint parliamentary committee invited a chief minister to share their views on the One Nation One Election legislation Advocating for One Nation One Election, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde on Monday appeared before the joint parliamentary committee examining the crucial legislation. This was the first time the joint parliamentary committee invited a chief minister to share their views on the One Nation One Election legislation. The panel is on a multi-city tour and is in Mumbai now. Speaking on the Bill and its impact, Devendra Fadnavis said it will allow focus on governance. He cited the example that multiple elections at multiple levels led to close to a year of governance due to the model code of conduct and election process in place. He gave the example that Mumbai was the financial capital of India, and frequent elections had severely affected its economy. Eknath Shinde said this was a much-needed legislation and stressed that there is no reason for regional parties to be fearful. He pointed out that the public knew which party they should vote for and cited the example of the Shiv Sena. He said the public has always rewarded a desire to serve the people and brought them to power. Hence, concerns over the relevance of regional parties were not true. Shinde further said it was important to understand that once the government at the Centre was elected, its influence had a bearing on the states going to election. But, in case of common elections, the states will focus on local issues while national issues will feature on the list for the Lok Sabha elections, he said. Its quick implementation will be more cost effective and focus will remain on good governance, he added. Several other financial organisations and members of the Port Trust appeared before the parliamentary panel. Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar was also present before the committee to express his views in support of the legislation. The panel was announced during the last winter session of Parliament after the Centre said it was keen on sending the Bill for parliamentary scrutiny after its introduction in the Lok Sabha. It is headed by former minister and Lok Sabha MP PP Chaudhary and has 39 members, including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The panel has a number of eminent lawyers like MPs Manish Tewari, P Wilson and Kalyan Banerjee. Other opposition MPs, who are part of the panel are Supriya Sule from the NCP, Randeep Surjewala and Mukul Wasnik from the Congress, Anil Desai from Shiv Sena (UBT). On the ruling side, members include former union minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Baijayant Panda, Bhartruhari Mahtab and Anil Baluni from the BJP. Shrikant Shinde from the Shiv Sena and Harish Balayogi from the TDP among others are also part of the JPC. First Published: May 20, 2025, 02:49 IST
