Nitish Kumar favours simultaneous LS, Assembly polls

His remarks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh pitch for holding the polls together.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said that simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies would reduce the election expenses, adding that its implementation should be done with everyone's consent.

His remarks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh pitch for holding the polls together. Modi had said that like festivals, elections should be held on fixed dates so that governments can function for five years.

"I am in favour of the idea since a long time. If elections would be conducted in a one go, expenses will be reduced and elected govt will get more time to work. Its implementation needs everyone's consent," Kumar told the media on Wednesday.

On January 29, President Ram Nath Kovind had called for a "sustained debate" on holding simultaneous polls, saying all parties need to reach a consensus on the issue.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), the ruling party in Telangana, also backed the idea of simultaneous polls. TRS leader in the Lok Sabha, A P Jithender Reddy, said that such a synchronised exercise will cut costs, save time and ensure governments focus on development.

Modi had said that barbs exchanged during campaigning in one state have a bearing in other parts of the country which were not going to polls. Modi was of the view that once the elections are held together, the central and the state governments can devote the next five years to governance.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs