Bhopal, Dec 18 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said if the parliamentary and state assembly elections are held simultaneously, it will help curtail the poll expenses and governments will get full five years for development works.
Two bills that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections in the country were introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, with the opposition terming the move as "dictatorial".
Reacting to the development, MP CM Yadav on Tuesday night said, "It is a new concept introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the BJP. 'One nation, one election' (concept) was there before 1973, but this sequence was broken during then PM Indira Gandhi's rule."
The first polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies were held at a cost of Rs 11 crore, which has now increased to Rs 30,000 crore, the BJP leader pointed out.
"Elections are held throughout the year now. The simultaneous polls under the 'one nation, one election' (concept) will not only save money but there will be full five years (for governments) to carry out the developmental works. This is a good proposal," the CM said.
Yadav expressed hope that the 'one nation, one election' proposal will get Parliament's approval and would be implemented in the coming polls.