The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday mounted a robust defence of the “One Nation, One Election” proposal, asserting it has wide public support while sharply criticising the Congress over doubts cast on EVMs and the Election Commission.
Party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the idea was endorsed across the country. “B R Ambedkar gave the Constitution to our country and if there is a leader who is ensuring that the dreams of the Constitution are being fulfilled, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
Speaking ahead of a meeting on the initiative, Bhatia claimed that after engaging with citizens nationwide, including Karnataka, he found overwhelming support for synchronising elections. “Therefore, it is an idea whose time has come now, and nobody can stop this 'one nation, one election',” he said.
Bhatia highlighted that the Modi government had already enacted significant constitutional reforms, including the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the passage of the women’s reservation bill. “And now, after thorough deliberations and support from the people, 'one nation, one election' will also definitely become a reality,” he added.
Criticising Congress over its stance on electronic voting machines, Bhatia remarked, “BJP, like a good student performs well in exams, and after we pass the exam, we thank the people of our country and states, whereas the Congress is like a student that doesn't study, keeps away from the class, and after failing, it blames the EVMs. It shows petty politics and perpetual pessimism of the corrupt Congress Party.”
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He also referred to Rahul Gandhi as “the biggest hydrogen bomb of Indian politics,” noting, “The problem is he implodes, and when he implodes, the Congress Party explodes.”
State BJP president B Y Vijayendra underlined the party’s confidence in the electoral system. “The BJP is not scared of ballot papers. The relevant question is, Rahul Gandhi should think why the people of this country, the voters of this country, have lost confidence in the Congress Party,” he said.
BJP national general secretary Anil Antony described the initiative as a historic reform. “During Modi's second term, a high-level committee led by a former president Ram Nath Kovind, along with six luminary Indian citizens, had done a very extensive study on 'one nation, one election', and one of the most important findings is that this can lead to a GDP growth of almost 1.5 per cent every year,” he said.
“These are all big initiatives Modi government is bringing to ensure that our country prospers and our country moves in a single direction towards the Viksit Bharat dream,” Antony added, stressing that the party has “full faith in the Election Commission” and that the government “doesn't interfere in any institution in any manner.”
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