'One Nation, One Election a debacle in successive elections'

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) : Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that the National Democratic Alliance government's 'One Nation, One Election' proposal is a debacle in successive elections.

While addressing an event here, Ramesh said, "By supporting 'One Nation, One Election', you are denying yourself the ability to enforce some accountability of the executive. It is the debacle in successive elections in the last 12 months but has made the current Prime Minister more aware of the concerns of farmers, unemployed, rural landless labour."

"If you have had One nation, One election, you elect somebody and then for the next five years you have no opportunity whatsoever of making your voice heard.

 We are a system in which our voice is heard only through elections," he added.

Criticising the proposal, the Congress leader further said, "You have to suffer for five years if you have one nation one election."

There is a widespread speculation that One Nation, One Election may be implemented following Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah and other prominent political leaders having earlier hinted of creating a better electoral system in the country.