Simultaneous polls good idea but impossible for upcoming election: Nitish

It is a good idea but the time is not yet ripe for its implementation, said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said that 'one nation, one poll' was a good idea but not implementable in the forthcoming general elections.

Kumar, who has been advocating simultaneous polls for state assemblies and Lok Sabha for quite some time, was responding to a query from journalists here on the letter written on the issue to the Law Commission by BJP national president Amit Shah.

Holding simultaneous polls for all state assemblies and the Lok Sabha would not be possible in the next general elections. It is a good idea but the time is not yet ripe for its implementation, he said.

The JD(U) national president has spoken in favour of simultaneous polls a number of times in recent times, claiming that it would reduce the expenditure involved in holding elections and enable elected governments to focus better on development and governance.

The Janata Dal (United) is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the NDA. Kumar is heading a coalition government with the BJP in Bihar since July last year after the disintegration of Grand Alliance ministry comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), JD(U) and Congress.