Simultaneous polls will weaken regional leaders: Andhra FM

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Jul 6 (ANI): Andhra Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu opined that conducting simultaneous polls would weaken leaders of regional parties.
The state finance minister said the regional parties are not supporting simultaneous polls to protect democracy and federal structure.
"Simultaneous polls are a move to weaken regional leaders. No national party is in a position to form government at the Centre on its own and support of regional parties has become mandatory. Strengthening of regional parties has become a big obstacle for national parties," Ramakrishnudu said.
Dubbing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a 'political whale', he said the agenda of the BJP is to damage the regional parties politically.
"No one has ever resorted to such political conspiracies in the past like the BJP-led government at the Centre. People need to be vigilant with Modi-Shah duo," he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said the Election Commission (EC) will continue to conduct elections under the provisions of Constitution of India and Representation of People Act.
"Commission is bound to deliver elections under the provisions of Constitution and Representation of People Act. We will continue delivering elections as per the current system," Rawat said when asked about the idea of 'one nation-one election'.
The Law Commission is expected to hold consultations with all major political parties on July 7 and 8 over the feasibility of conducting both Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously.
Talks of the feasibility of conducting simultaneous polls have been in discussion for months.
In April, the Law Commission had stated that simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies could be held in two phases from 2019, provided that at least two provisions of the Constitution are amended and ratified by a majority of the states. (ANI)