The Congress on Wednesday slammed the BJP over simultaneous polls, saying it was a “diversionary tactics” to divert people’s attention from real issues and accused the ruling party of remaining inconsistent on the issue. The Congress also said that party President Rahul Gandhi has written to the government over the party’s inability to participate in the meeting of presidents of all parties in Parliament.
Congress leader and MP Gaurav Gogoi told reporters at apress conference here that “when we talk of ‘one nation, one election,’then we also want improvements in the election process.” He said the Congress has raised questionsover the election process as voting for two Rajya Sabha seats is being done ondifferent dates.
He was referring to separate dates for elections to the twoRajya Sabha seats in Gujarat. The two seats were vacated in the state after BJPPresident Amit Shah and Smriti Irani were elected as MPs. The Congress hasapproached the Supreme Court over the issue.
“We have raised issue of electronic voting machines andballot papers. We have raised issues of how money and state machinery weremisused during the elections,” Gogoi said. “But the Prime Ministerignores them,” he said.
“It is a way to distract people from real issues,”Gogoi said, adding that ‘one nation, one election’ is a constitutional processand if the government wants, then they can hold debate in Parliament over theissue.Hitting out at the central government, theCongress leader said, “It is the same government which did not holdassembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat together. It is the samegovernment which opted for seven-phase Lok Sabha elections to suit theirneeds.”