The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has taken a significant step toward implementing its ambitious ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative. Earlier this week, the reformative bill advocating synchronized elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies was passed in the Parliament and subsequently forwarded to the Rajya Sabha for further deliberation.
In a pivotal move, a 12-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has been constituted to recommend amendments to the Constitution of India, which are critical to operationalizing this initiative. Notably, the JPC includes representation from various regions, including South India, with YSR Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, V. Vijayasai Reddy, securing a position on the panel.
Interestingly, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has extended its active support to the bill, despite not being part of the NDA coalition. This backing has raised eyebrows, given the party’s earlier stance and its lack of political alignment with the NDA. Political analysts suggest that YSRCP’s endorsement stems from its strategic interest in advancing early elections in Andhra Pradesh, preferably by 2027. The party hopes to recover from the setbacks it faced in the recent elections, where it won less than 10% of the contested seats.
However, the timeline for implementing the ‘One Nation, One Election’ mechanism remains uncertain. Reports indicate that nationwide synchronized elections may only materialize by 2029 or later.
Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) finds itself absent from the JPC, as it lacked representation in the Rajya Sabha following the 2019 general elections, where YSRCP swept all available seats. Only recently, the TDP secured representation in the Upper House with the election of Beeda Mastan Rao and Sana Satish Kumar.
The inclusion of Vijayasai Reddy in the JPC underscores YSRCP’s calculated maneuvering to secure political relevance at the national level. As the committee commences its deliberations, the dynamics surrounding the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative promise to be both complex and consequential for India’s electoral landscape.
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