Hyderabad: Despite vocally opposing the One Nation One Election proposal, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chose not to submit its opinion to the committee led by former President of India, Ramnath Kovind. According to the panel's report, BRS is among the political parties that did not respond, raising questions about its stance on the matter.
After the Union Cabinet approved the Kovind panel report on Wednesday, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao said the party would wait for more details from the Centre before forming an official position. "We just had Parliament elections, and the next general elections are in 2029. There are elections in five states next January and February. How does the Centre plan to implement this? Will it be in stages?" Rao asked. He also raised concerns about issues like the population census, delimitation of constituencies, and women’s reservations. "Once we have clarity, our party, under KCR’s leadership, will meet and discuss," he added.
In September 2023, Rama Rao had dismissed the One Nation One Election idea as a political gimmick by the BJP after it failed to meet its promises before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
While strongly opposing the One Nation One Election plan, Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said, "This is not practical in a democracy as vast as India. It’s a tactic by the Modi government to divert attention from real issues."
Similarly, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi opposed the idea, calling it a threat to federalism and democracy. "Frequent elections are essential for accountability," Owaisi posted on the social media platform X, criticising the BJP's approach.
On the other hand, BJP legislature party leader Aleti Maheshwar Reddy supported the proposal, citing potential time and cost savings. He invited opponents to debate the issue in Parliament.
