PATNA: BJP received support on ‘one nation one election’ move from an unexpected quarter. Poll strategist-turned political activist Prashant Kishor, known as ‘PK’, on Monday supported the ‘one nation one election’ move if it was done with the right intentions and was not rushed through.
Speaking during his ‘Jan Suraj Patyatra’ in Muzaffarpur, Kishor said that there should be a transition phase of four to five years so that everybody gets adequate time to adjust to the new system. It would be in the interest of the country in such a situation, he added.
“If the transition to the new system is done overnight, there can be problems. Earlier too, the ‘one nation one election’ system was applicable in the country for 17-18 years,” he remarked. “I have been associated with elections and found that approximately 25 percent of the country votes every year.
In such a situation, people running the government are stuck in the process of conducting elections sometimes here and sometimes there. If it is done once or twice, it will be better. This will save expenses and also ensure accountability,” he said.
The ace poll strategist said that people would have to take the decision only once. He said that since the existing system had been in place for almost 50 years since 1967, it would create problems if any transition was done overnight. He said that the centre was probably bringing a bill in the upcoming special session of the parliament and if the intentions of the government were really right, it should be done as it is beneficial for the country.
If elections are held once or twice instead of daily, it will benefit the country economically, socially and also politically, he stated while talking to reporters later. Kishor said that intentions should be clear as even if an anti-terrorism law was used to oppress a particular class, it was not justified.