'One nation, one election' acceptable if well-intentioned: Prashant Kishor

Patna, Dec 13 (PTI) Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Friday said "one nation one election" could be beneficial for the country provided the move was initiated with good intentions.

The Jan Suraaj Party founder buttressed his point with the example of laws "brought in ostensibly to clamp down on terror but used for targeting one particular community".

He was responding to queries from journalists on the Union cabinet's nod to the Bills for holding simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies, which are now likely to be tabled soon in Parliament.

"I have been involved in many elections. I have noticed that every year a sizeable part of the nation remains involved in some election, at national or state level", said Kishor, whose poll consultancy firm IPAC handled campaigns of leaders as diverse as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee.

Kishor pointed out that things were "different in the past".

"At least till 1960s, polls were being held simultaneously for Lok Sabha and state assemblies. If it happens again, it will be good for the country. But a smooth phase of transition must be ensured. Such a change must not be attempted overnight," he said.

The Jan Suraaj Party supremo, whose fledgling outfit has been trying to win over Muslims of Bihar, also remarked "success of the proposed Bills would depend a lot on the perceived intentions of the Centre. You can bring a law in the name of combating terror only to harass a particular community".

Kishor's comments come in the backdrop of misgivings in the political circles that "one nation one election" could be used to target state governments run by parties opposed to the ruling BJP at the Centre. PTI