GFP's Sardesai says 'one nation, one election' initiative

The Goa Forward Party, an ally of the BJP, which has been opposing the latter's "one nation, one election" demand, Tuesday made a u-turn and said it supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll initiative. Speaking at a Goa Revolution Day function in Margao, GFP president and state deputy chief minister Vijai Sardesai said imposition of model code of conduct multiple times for different polls was hampering development and "injecting laziness into the administration", and therefore a single poll for states and the country was ideal.

In July last year, the GFP had opposed the initiative and said it was "against federalism". Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting of presidents of all parties represented in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha on June 19 to discuss the issue of 'one nation, one election', Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi had said Sunday..