The Modi government’s decision to form a committee to explore ‘One Nation, One Election’ is said to have pushed the Opposition’s INDIA alliance to get into action mode and set up internal committees for poll preparation.
The INDIA alliance of 28 parties from across the country had its third meeting in Mumbai this week — the first two were in Patna and Bengaluru — to discuss how best to come together and put up a front against the ruling BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
While senior leaders from INDIA’s constituent parties were expecting to discuss a common minimum programme and a coordination committee, and initial talks on seat-sharing, many did not think these discussions would result in concrete steps right away, multiple leaders from the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) told ThePrint.
A senior Congress leader who attended the INDIA alliance meeting in Mumbai over Thursday and Friday told ThePrint, “The ‘One Nation, One Election’ committee set off some panic among the parties that attended the meeting. There were concerns that this might mean the Lok Sabha elections could be called in just a few months, and there was a general consensus that the alliance needs to get ready as soon as possible.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in the past repeatedly endorsed the idea of having simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections. On Thursday, his government announced a special session of Parliament from 18 to 22 September, and Friday, it formed a committee under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind to examine the ‘One Nation, One Election’ idea.
The INDIA alliance Friday announced a 14-member coordination committee as well as a separate 19-member campaign committee. It also formed three working groups — one for social media, one for handling traditional media, and one for research.
