No representation from South on One Nation One Election committee; BRS objects

Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader and Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar on Sunday objected to the Centre forming a committee on One Nation One Election (ONOE) without a representation from the South.

He said there were only North Indian members in the committee. ‘It is unfortunate that there is none from the South. Kumar fired a salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that he had put the country in a state of chaos because of special Parliament sessions. He blamed the NDA government for not speaking on the issue during the last 10 years and now hastily convening Parliament session.

Kumar recalled that in 2018, the ruling BRS gave its opinion on ONOE. He said ONOE were good, but the party made it clear to the Law Commission that there should be a discussion. He also said except Modi, even those in the ruling party don’t know what was happening. Has the report on ONOE already been prepared? Kumar said he has a suspicion that the committee is ‘Naam KeVaste Committee’.

He expressed his ire that he did not understand where Modi was taking the country. In the AP bifurcation Act, the number of members in the legislative assemblies in the two State should be increased. However, the Modi government did not pay attention, Kumar recalled.

He said with a small amendment, the number of members in Telugu States Assemblies could be increased, but it has not been taken up by the Modi government so far. He asked Modi why five constitutional amendments were required for ONOE; why he did not focus on the issue in the Reorganisation Act.

Kumar questioned what the Modi government had done for ten years on the Women's Reservation Bill. He expressed anger that the government would create a situation of chaos for the elections in the country. He clarified that the issue of ONOE will be discussed in BRS.