Mahajan plays down twin polls proposal as ‘academic parley’

Stating that the proposal for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls should be seen as part of an academic discussion, BJP General Secretary Pramod Mahajan said that this discussion shouldn’t in any way be seen as impinging on the forthcoming Assembly or Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a press conference in Bhopal today, Mahajan said that Vice-President, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat had initiated the debate recently at a seminar in Madhya Pradesh and Home Minister L.K. Advani was only adding to the debate. Stating that at the moment the proposal should be seen as an academic discussion and it raises ‘‘N number of questions’’, he said, when these questions are answered the proposal would require ‘‘N number of Constitutional amendments’’.

Elaborating on the problems, Mahajan added that the Union Government has no authority to advance or postpone Assembly Elections and can only decide on advancing Lok Sabha Elections. Likewise, he said a state government can advance Assembly Elections.

At the moment, he said, there are 28 Assemblies and electoral battles occur almost around the clock. In the immediate future, Mahajan added, no purpose is solved by clubbing the four Assembly elections with the Lok Sabha elections because that still leaves the question of the other Assembly Elections unanswered.