AIADMK backs ‘One Nation, One Election’ with riders

Chennai: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which broke its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last year, has adopted a cautious stance on the Narendra Modi government’s proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’ policy.

While supporting the idea in principle, the party has expressed concerns over issues, such as the setting up of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and poll expenses.

The AIADMK’s position on the ‘One Nation, One Election’ policy contrasts with that of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led by M.K Stalin in Tamil Nadu, which Wednesday passed a resolution in the assembly opposing the proposal. 

The DMK government also opposed any delimitation exercise, which aims to fix constituencies based on the population. The resolutions were passed by a voice vote.

While passing the resolution, Stalin said the policy was “impractical” and against the Constitution. Other parties, including the Congress, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), supported its resolutions. 

The ‘One Nation, One Election’ policy envisages holding parliamentary and state assembly polls simultaneously. A high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind has been constituted to examine the feasibility of implementing the policy.

Tamil Nadu has opposed the delimitation exercise, stating that its interest in family planning and development was resulting in the loss of seats.

However, the AIADMK MLAs supported the resolution on delimitation in the assembly Wednesday. The AIADMK added that it, prima facie, supports the proposal for simultaneous elections as well, but needs more clarity on its execution. The opposition party said it has submitted 10 points to the Kovind committee, seeking answers on various aspects of the policy.

In September last year, however, the party welcomed the proposed policy. “Simultaneous elections will save time, colossal cost and give longer uninterrupted period of governance to implement policies effectively for any elected government both federal and state,” EPS posted on social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) in September.

AIADMK supports One Nation One Election policy ,

AIADMK strongly advocates Elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies be held simultaneously
As it will escalate the speed of our country’s development and avoid political instability.

Simultaneous elections will save the…

— Edappadi K Palaniswami (@EPSTamilNadu) September 1, 2023

Meanwhile, speaking to ThePrint Thursday, AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said that the party’s stand has not changed since it first backed the policy six months ago. 

“We have given 10 points to the Ram Nath Kovind committee. For the interest of the state, for the interest of the people, you need clarity. And yes, it’s the commission’s responsibility to give clarity on the same. We welcome the idea. But we need more clarity on the implementation. To see the merits and demerits of it,” said Sathyan.  

He added that Stalin was using the issue ahead of the election to create a narrative in favour of his party. 

At the assembly Wednesday, AIADMK MLA Thalavai Sundaram said, while the party believed that the expenditure incurred by the government would be reduced once simultaneous elections were held, the party doesn’t support the implementation of the policy immediately and would support it only after its 10 demands were met. 

Expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam (OPS) Friday accused the party of joining hands with the ruling DMK for “selfish reasons”. Recalling that EPS was earlier supporting the policy, OPS posted on ‘X’ that the party, by seeking more clarity now, has undermined AIADMK’s identity.

Also Read: SAD reiterates support for ‘1 Nation, 1 Election’ pitch — Badal says ‘will strengthen democracy’

The 10 demands 

Elaborating on the party’s 10 demands, AIADMK senior leader and former minister D. Jayakumar told ThePrint Friday that the party has sought clarity on setting up of EVMs for the simultaneous elections and the poll expenses. 

He said they have also demanded that the local body elections should be held separately from the simultaneous polls and there shouldn’t be any reduction in SC/ST seats. 

Jayakumar added that the party has also asked for clarity on delimitation in the demands and has raised that there shouldn’t be any reduction in seats for Tamil Nadu. He, however, refused to divulge further details on the 10 demands.

“It will take 10 years to get clarity on these and we will clarify our stand then,” Jayakumar said, adding that the party raised the demands when the central government proposed the policy itself and there has been no change in its position on the matter. 

(Edited by Richa Mishra)

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