'Attack on union & states', says Rahul on 'One Nation, One Election' panel

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a scathing attack at the BJP-led Central government over the formation of a panel to examine 'One Nation, One Election', saying "it is an attack on the Union and all its States".

The BJP-led government formed an eight-member committee to examine the 'One Nation, One Election' with former President Ram Nath Kovind as its chairman and Home Minister Amit Shah and others as its members.

"INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the Union (with emoji of Indian flag) and all its States," the Congress MP from Kerala's Wayanad constituency wrote on X (formerly Twitter) referring to the formation of the committee on 'One Nation, One Election' by the ruling dispensation.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader and MP, Jairam Ramesh while taking a swipe at the government over the same, wrote on X, "The High-level Committee on what is called 'One Nation One Election' is a ritualistic exercise, the timing of which is highly suspect. Its terms of reference have already determined its recommendations."

"The composition of the Committee is also a total give-away and the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury last night very rightly refused to be part of it," the Congress MP said.

The statement of Ramesh, who is also the Congress' Communication in-charge, comes a day after party leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declined the invitation to be part of the panel constituted by the government to examine the 'One Nation, One Election' concept.