Kejriwal slams Centre over ‘One Nation One Election’ bill, terms it BJP’s ‘misplaced priorities’ | India News – Times of India

Kejriwal slams Centre over ‘One Nation One Election’ bill, terms it BJP’s ‘misplaced priorities’

NEW DELHI: Former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National convenor, Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday slammed centre over the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill and said that the country needs “one healthcare system” and “one education system”. Criticizing the bill, the AAP supremo said that the bill shows “BJP’s misplaced priorities.”
“The country needs one nation, one education… one nation, one healthcare system…not… one nation, one election… BJP’s misplaced priorities,” Kejriwal posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh opposes the bill and wants it reviewed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. He believes the bill harms democracy. “The bill will be presented in Parliament, and we want it to be referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which will hold discussions on it. The Indian National Congress‘s position was clarified last year by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who sent a four-page letter to former President Ram Nath Kovind’s committee on One Nation, One Election, stating that we oppose the bill,\” Ramesh said.
Conversely, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut supports the bill, citing its potential economic benefits and impact on voter participation. She believes frequent elections strain government finances. “‘One Nation, One Election’ is very important because conducting elections every six months costs the government treasury a great deal. The biggest challenge is encouraging people to come out and vote repeatedly. Voter turnout is declining every year. This is the need of the hour, and everyone supports it,” she stated.
Former President Ram Nath Kovind, heading a committee on the matter, stressed the need for national consensus on the initiative, highlighting potential economic gains. He believes the issue transcends party politics.
Kovind stated that, “This issue is not about the interest of any single party but of the nation. ‘One Nation, One Election’ will be a game-changer–not just my opinion but that of economists, who predict that its implementation could boost the country’s GDP by 1-1.5 per cent.” The bill is expected to be introduced in Parliament soon.