Mann slams Centre over ‘one nation, one election’

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said the BJP-led central government talks of ‘one nation, one election’ but is unable to hold simultaneous polls in even two states.

He also doubted the intentions of the Centre in implementation of the ‘one nation, one election’ plan. Earlier, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved bills to implement ‘one nation, one election’, and the draft legislations are likely to be introduced in Parliament in the ongoing Winter session, sources said.

“They talk of ‘one nation, one election’, but they cannot even hold ‘two states, one election’. That means there must be something else in their mind,” he told reporters in Parliament complex. “Why don’t they hold ‘one nation, one education’ and provide health to all in the nation? They just want to go ahead with ‘one nation, one election’, but the issues of smaller and regional parties will remain buried.

“They just want people to come and vote once and for all,” Mann said. Citing recent assembly elections and bypolls, he asked, “Why did they not hold elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand in one go. Why did they hold Jharkhand elections in two phases when there are only 80 seats.”

The chief minister said the bye-elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh were held on separate days. They should have given an example by holding elections together in these states, he noted. The Punjab chief minister had come to visit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office in Parliament complex and said he felt nostalgic being here, as he had started his political innings as the lone AAP MP from Punjab.