Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday convened an all-party meeting wherein the heads of the political parties were presented to discuss the concept of ‘One Nation, One Election’ among other things.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Union Minister Rajnath Singh said that the government will form a committee to study the feasibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘One Nation, One Election’.
He said, “Most parties gave their support to One Nation, One Election, CPI(M) and CPI had a difference of opinion but they didn’t oppose the idea, just the implementation of it.”
Defence Minister @rajnathsingh after conclusion of the meeting of Presidents of all parties called by PM Modi: Most parties gave their support to One Nation, One Election, CPI(M) & CPI had a difference of opinion but they didn’t oppose the idea, just the implementation of it. pic.twitter.com/ZXFOq5LYT0
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) June 19, 2019
“We had invited 40 political parties, out of which presidents of 21 parties participated and 3 other parties sent their opinion on the subjects in writing,” he added.
Several opposition parties including the Congress gave it a miss. Those that had no representation at the meeting include NDA ally Shiv Sena and opposition parties DMK, TDP, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandresekhar Rao sent representatives.
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The leaders present at the meeting included JDU’s Nitish Kumar, NC’s Farooq Abdullah, SAD’s Sukhbir Singh Badal, BJD’s Naveen Patnaik, PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti, YSRCP’s Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Besides simultaneous election, the meeting also discussed NITI Aayog’s proposal of developing ‘aspirational districts’, the celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence in 2022 and marking 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary this year, among other things.
Following today’s meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also host a dinner for all the members of the parliament on Thursday, June 20.