Chennai:
Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitarman on Saturday rejected the false propaganda around the ‘One Nation, One Election’ concept, making it clear that it would not be implemented in the upcoming elections.
Speaking at an event near here, he said that about 1 lakh crore rupees were spent during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and such a big expense can be saved through elections simultaneously.
“If elections are held simultaneously for the election of Parliament and Assembly members, the country’s gross domestic product will be added to about 1.5 percent. In terms of the price, Rs 4.50 lakh crore will join the economy. This one nation is a black and white example of one election.”
N Sitarman accused some parties of “spreading false campaign” at the ‘One Nation One Election’ initiative, and opposed it by closing it.
He clarified that the election is planned to be held simultaneously only after 2034 and the groundwork is now being kept to give his consent to the then President.
“This concept was widely discussed during several occasions. It was nothing introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This One Nation One Election existed until the 1960s. Instead of opposing it, if it has been supported to consider its profit, a nation would carry forward the concept of one election,” the Union Minister said.
N Sitaraman claimed that the patron of the late DMK M. Karunanidhi supported the concept of Forest Nation One Election, but his son and current Chief Minister (MK Stalin) are not following the footsteps of their father and are opposing it instead.
N Sitarman reiterated that the concept of ‘One Nation One Election’ was not a “pet” project, but plans have been made in view of the welfare of the country.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
