4 parties support simultaneous polls, 9 oppose it

New Delhi: Political parties were divided on the issue of holding Lok Sabha and assembly polls simultaneously with four supporting the idea and nine opposing it, even as the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress stayed away from a consultation organised by the Law Commission on the subject.

At the end of the two-day consultation on simultaneous polls, besides the NDA ally Shiromani Akali Dal, the AIADMK, the Samajwadi Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti supported the idea.

However, BJP ally Goa Forward Party opposed the concept as did the Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, DMK, Telugu Desam Party, CPI, CPI (M), Forward Block and the JD (S).

The SP, TRS, AAP, DMK, TDP, JD (S) and All India Forward Block met the Law Commission to put forth their views.

The SP, represented by Ram Gopal Yadav, supported the concept. But Yadav made it clear that the first simultaneous poll should be held in 2019, when the term of the 16th Lok Sabha comes to an end.

If simultaneous polls are held in 2019, the tenure of the Yogi Adityanath's BJP government in Uttar Pradesh will be shortened.

AAP's Ashish Khaitan told the law panel that simultaneous polls are a "ploy" to keep people away from forming a government as the terms of houses will be extended if the two polls are held together.

He also dubbed the idea as a move to impose "managed" democracy" in the country, a senior law panel functionary present in the deliberations, said.

He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be governing the country and not addressing rallies if simultaneous polls are held.

In a written response to the law panel, Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao said his party supports the idea as months are spent preparing for polls throughout the year.