Opposition questions long time frame for polls, says ‘it will help BJP’

Soon after the Election Commission (EC) announced a seven-phased Lok Sabha polls on Saturday (March 16), prominent political parties questioned the need for such an elongated time frame with many of them alleging that it has been designed only to benefit the ruling BJP.

The Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases – April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Simultaneously, assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13 while state polls in Odisha will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.

7 phases will help Modi tour everywhere: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that while four phases would have sufficed, seven have been set to accommodate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda to “tour everywhere”.

“We are not anxious about what is going to happen, but Modiji putting seven phases, it means he wants to tour everywhere. In this country, I have also contested nearly 12 elections and there hardly used to be four phases. Sometimes it used to be even one phase,” he told reporters on Saturday.

With the Model Code of Conduct coming into force from Saturday, Kharge said the long time frame also means all developmental works will be paused for 70-80 days till the elections are over. He said this will stall the progress of the country.

“Stopping nearly 70-80 days, imagine how the country will progress? Because of election code of conduct materials will not be supplied. Budget will not be spent. So, according to me, this is not good. He could have completed within three or four phases,” he said.

‘Last chance to save democracy’

Kharge in a post on X also said that the elections will open the “door of Nyay” for India. He was referring to the Congress’ promises of various populist schemes if it comes to power.

"The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will open the 'door of Nyay' for India. This would be perhaps the last chance to save democracy and our Constitution from dictatorship,” he said.

"'We the people of India' will together fight against hatred, loot, unemployment, price rise and atrocities. 'Haath Badlega Halaat' (the Hand will change the situation)," Kharge said on X, referring to the Congress' poll symbol.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said these "milestone" elections are happening under "a cloud of scams" of Electoral Bonds, jailing, suspension and raiding of opposition parties and politicians and freezing of funds of the primary national opposition party, which is "unprecedented".

He alleged that the BJP has reduced the constitutional status of the EC and noted that the Congress gave a dissenting note on the appointment of the election commissioners.

Poll dates to help parties with deeper pockets: TMC

Questioning the need for seven-phase elections in West Bengal which has only 42 seats, the Trinamool Congress has called it a “deliberate attempt to disrupt the democratic process” and help certain “political factions”.

The West Bengal government had reportedly urged the EC to schedule election in the state in one or two phases. It said the seven-phase elections, on the other hand, will only benefit “parties with deeper pockets”.

"We wanted a single or twin phase Lok Sabha election in the state. Our views were that a multiple-phase election helps political parties with deeper pockets, and gives them an advantage over others," state Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said.

"The 2021 assembly elections were held in eight phases and it was said that this was being done due to the pandemic. So now, what is the reason for holding elections in seven phases? There is no valid reason," she added.

Bhattacharya said her party hoped that the EC would work in an "impartial" way.

‘Long wait for result,’ says DMK’s Elangovan

The DMK which will vote in a single-phase polls on April 19 has said the wait for the results till June 4 will be a long one.

“We anticipated that Tamil Nadu will come in the first phase. However, waiting till June 4, is one question that the party has to get prepared for,” the media quoted DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan as saying.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the public to vote against "dictatorship and hooliganism" as his party said people have been "desperately" waiting for the general elections.

Crucial democratic space denied to people: J&K parties

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir expressed disappointment that assembly polls in the Union territory are not being held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election. They said a crucial democratic space is being "denied" to the people by keeping the polls in "deep freeze".

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said there is "something fishy" in not holding the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Lok Sabha polls.

"If there are conducive conditions for the parliamentary election, how is it not alright for the state election? There is something fishy," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.

Son and NC leader Omar Abdullah said the EC is unable to conduct simultaneous polls in Jammu and Kashmir even as it has acknowledged that the assembly election is due in the Union territory.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir would take place soon after the Lok Sabha polls due to security concerns, with both events deemed unfeasible to be held simultaneously.

He said the logistical challenge of providing security to every candidate in the Union territory during nationwide polls made holding both events concurrently impractical.

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) alleged a crucial democratic space is being strategically denied to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"A crucial space in democracy is being strategically denied to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the last 10 years now. So much so that even the panchayat and municipal elections are not happening here when people are talking about conducting the parliamentary polls," PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said.

‘Festival of democracy is here,’ says Modi; calls Oppn ‘rudderless’

Soon after the dates were announced, Modi, in a series of posts on X, highlighted the "glorious turnaround" India has seen in the 10 years of his government and said the ruling alliance will go to people based on its track record of good governance and service delivery across sectors.

"The biggest festival of democracy is here! EC has announced the 2024 Lok Sabha election dates. We, the BJP-NDA, are fully prepared for elections," he said with the hashtag 'Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar' ('once again Modi government').

He claimed 10 years ago before the BJP came to power at the Centre, the people of India were feeling betrayed and disillusioned "thanks to INDI Alliance's pathetic governance".

In a swipe at the opposition, he said it is "rudderless and issueless".

"All they can do is abuse us and practise vote-bank politics. Their dynastic approach and attempts to divide society are not being accepted. Equally hurting them is their corruption track record. People don't want such leadership," Modi said.

(With inputs from agencies)