New Delhi [India], December 12 : With the Union Cabinet approving the 'One Nation One Election' bill, Haryana Minister Anil Vij on Thursday welcomed this decision and emphasised that every Indian should welcome this move.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership, Vij stated that Modi's nationalist mindset has brought numerous changes and is steering the nation towards 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India).
Speaking to ANI, the Haryana Minister said, "It is a good decision. It should have been made after the independence only. But the earlier governments did not think about it. PM Narendra Modi has brought many changes with his nationalist mindset...PM Modi wants to take this nation towards 'Viksit Bharat'. Every Indian should welcome this decision... The other parties have nothing to do with the nation. If they had such a mindset, why Jawaharlal Nehru or Indira Gandhi did not think about the 'Viksit Bharat'? Because this is not their mindset. PM Modi gave this thought...Congress wants to take this nation back to the stone age, where decisions were made with the stones..."
Meanwhile, JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha also backed the proposed 'One Nation, One Election' bill, stating that party supremo Nitish Kumar has always supported simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha.
He added that the party had previously voiced its support for the bill and had approached the relevant committee.
Jha remarked, "Our party welcomes this. We had approached this committee, and I was also part of the delegation. Nitish Kumar has always advocated for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. We conveyed to the committee that our party supports this initiative. The country is perpetually in election mode, which disrupts public and developmental work. If there is a single election, it will reduce expenses significantly."
LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary also expressed her support for the bill, highlighting its potential to save time and minimise resource wastage while prioritising the country's development.
On Thursday, the Union Cabinet approved the 'One Nation, One Election' bill, paving the way for its introduction in Parliament.
Following the approval, a comprehensive bill is expected to be tabled, which will lay the foundation for holding unified elections across the country.
Notably, in September this year, the Union Cabinet approved the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, which aims to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, along with urban body and panchayat polls, within a span of 100 days.
The recommendations were outlined in a report by a high-level panel chaired by former President Kovind.
Following the Cabinet's approval, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the decision, calling it a significant step towards enhancing India's democracy.
"The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative," PM Modi posted on X.