New Delhi, May 4
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday participated in the run for the 'One Nation, One Election' in Noida, while asserting that continuous polls are a major obstacle for the creation of a 'Viksit Bharat'.
Union Minister Chouhan flagged off the event, which saw enthusiastic involvement of thousands of people from all age groups, men, women, and children, alongside prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
Addressing the crowd, he said, "A new history has been made on the streets of Noida, with a massive gathering that included children, women, and people of all ages, all united with one resolve, to address the frequent elections."
"In our country, political parties and leaders are always busy preparing for elections, whether at the national or state level. These continuous elections have become a major obstacle to the creation of a 'Viksit Bharat' and the progress of the nation," the Union Minister said.
The event was held near Gate Number 5 of the Noida Stadium.
The run was symbolic of the growing public momentum for synchronising Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections to reduce the disruption caused by frequent polls.
BJP National General Secretary Sunil Bansal, who also participated in the run, emphasised the scale of the movement.
"Across India, the campaign for 'One Nation, One Election' has been launched to gather widespread support for holding simultaneous elections in the country. Today's large-scale event is a part of this campaign. Similar programmes are being conducted nationwide, with people from all corners of the country showing support for this initiative," he said.
Several BJP leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Surendra Nagar, Noida MLA Pankaj Singh, Gautam Buddh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma, Dadri MLA Tejpal Nagar, and Noida BJP chief Mahesh Chauhan, were present on the occasion.
Participants expressed enthusiasm and a shared vision for political reform.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also voiced support for synchronised elections, considering them crucial for the nation's progress.
The 'One Nation, One Election' proposes aligning the election cycles of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. This would allow voters to cast their ballots for both tiers of government on the same day in their constituencies, though voting could still occur in phases across the country.
By synchronising these electoral timelines, the approach aims to address logistical challenges, reduce costs, and minimise disruptions caused by frequent elections.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some serious discussion about election reforms! The amount of money and time wasted in continuous elections is insane. Just imagine if all those resources went into actual development work. One Nation One Election makes perfect sense 🇮🇳
While the idea seems good, I worry about smaller regional parties. Won't they get overshadowed in simultaneous elections? The campaign focus will naturally shift to national issues rather than state-specific matters. Need proper safeguards for federalism.
Great initiative! Our neighbors China doesn't waste time in elections every year. We need this stability for development. The current system keeps politicians in permanent campaign mode instead of governance mode. #OneNationOneElection
The run event is a nice symbolic gesture, but implementation will be tricky. What if a state government collapses mid-term? Will we have President's rule for years until next synchronized election? Need more clarity on such scenarios.
As someone from UP, I've seen how election season disrupts normal life for months. Code of conduct stops development works, transfers happen like musical chairs. One election would save so much trouble! ðŸ‘
The concept is good but execution needs careful thought. Our Election Commission is already overworked during polls - handling everything together might be too much. Maybe phase it over 2-3 cycles rather than sudden change?
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