Mamata says 'No' to 'One Nation, One Election' meeting on June 19

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that she would not be able to attend the Centre's meeting called to discuss the issue of 'One Nation, One Election.'

In her letter to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, she said: "Response on such a sensitive and serious subject like 'One Country and One Election' in such a short time would not do justice to the subject it deserves."

She said that the matter required consultations with the Constitutional experts, election experts, and all the party members.

"Instead of doing the matter hurriedly, I would like to request you to kindly circulate a white paper on the subject to all political parties inviting their views by providing adequate time."

"If you only do so, we will be able to give concrete suggestions on this important subject," the letter further read.

Moreover, talking about the Aspirational Districts Programme, Banerjee said: "We have recently conveyed our views to NITI Aayog during its meeting, stating that we are not in support of selection of a few districts as Aspirational Districts as it would not conform to the overall objectives of achieving balanced and uniform development of all the districts of the State."

The letter also said that the party will "whole-heartedly participate in the most befitting manner" in the celebration of 75 years of India's Independence and 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The Central government has called a meeting of the presidents of all parties to discuss the idea of 'One Country, One Election' along with other issues of national importance on June 19.