Indus Valley Times

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 1: Former Union minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said ‘One Nation, One Election’ is the need of the hour and that political parties should not have a “prejudiced mindset” on the issue. In an interaction with journalists, he pitched for holding simultaneous elections, an idea often pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to this reporter, he said that the country and political parties need to give priority to national interests over political interests so that this significant and path-breaking electoral reform takes place.

“The frequent elections not only lead to wastage of enormous public money but also hamper development works. It also results in making the people’ unenthusiastic’ with the “festival of democracy” due to the frequent elections”, he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on several occasions, has appealed for “One Nation, One Election”, but some political parties adopted an apathetic and negative approach on the issue.

“All the political parties should understand that the people want the country to come out of the “web of frequent elections” and see the implementation of “One Nation, One Election”, he said.

He also emphasized further said that holding elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies simultaneously will not only save crores of rupees of public money but also eliminate the continuous election process and restrictions which obstruct developmental activities.

Naqvi said that those who are in the habit of cursing Prime Minister Narendra Modi from morning to evening are unable to digest his honesty, hard work and commitment to “decisions with delivery”.

“Today, the country’s politics has not been restricted to “family cradle”, but it has become a medium to make “people a precious partner of progress and prosperity”, he said