Political parties in Tamil Nadu have opposed the Law commission's proposal to conduct simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies in 2019, calling it a bad idea.
Reacting to the proposal, M Thambi Durai, AIADMK leader and the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha said that the move is not acceptable to the party. Thambi Durai was addressing mediapersons in New Delhi after presenting his party's view on the matter in the Law Panel meeting.
The Law panel meeting was held on Saturday and discussed the feasibility of holding simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Regional parties from different states opposed the idea stating that the move gives an edge to national parties and allow them to dominate the polls. "The people have elected us for a term of five years. Reducing it under the pretext of simultaneous polls will not be acceptable. This is AIADMK's stance," Thambi Durai said.
However, he also clarified that this proposal was only in its initial stages and the AIADMK would stand with whatever is good for the country.
Apart from the AIADMK, Marumalarchi Dravidar Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko too opposed the proposal and called it unacceptable.
"This is practically not feasible. What will you do if the coalition parties in the state withdraw their support and the government falls? Will you wait till the next general elections to conduct the state polls also? Hence I am telling you that this idea is not practically feasible. Narendra Modi is hoping to bring it all under the umbrella of dictatorship by proposing this idea," Vaiko said.
Tamil Maanila Congress President GK Vasan said, "A One-day consultation meet with the states is not enough to decide this. There must be continued consultation with analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of having simultaneous polls. This is the stand of Tamil Maanila Congress.”
The idea of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies was supported by the Law Commission months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind pitched the idea saying that it would save time and money. The joint polls would require constitutional amendments and a consensus from a majority of India's 29 states, the Commission further stated.