Editor's Pick: Kharge calls INDIA floor leaders meet before Parliament Special Session

Ahead of the Special Session of Parliament between September 18 and 22, floor leaders of Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties will meet at the official residence of the Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday. The meeting has been convened for the Opposition parties to decide their strategy for the session, said sources. Though the Union government has not revealed the agenda for the session, Opposition parties think that its proposal for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, Assemblies and local bodies would be on the table. Opposition leaders continued to lash out at the idea of simultaneous elections. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. “The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the Indian Union and all its States,” Mr. Gandhi said on X (formerly Twitter). In a detailed statement, Mr. Kharge said the Narendra Modi government wanted democratic India to slowly turn into a dictatorship. “This gimmick of forming a committee on ‘one nation, one election’ is a subterfuge for dismantling the federal structure of India,” Mr. Kharge said, adding that at least five amendments would have to be made to the Constitution, along with an overhaul of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Mr. Kharge asked if the proposed committee was best suited to deliberate and decide on perhaps the most drastic disruption in the Indian electoral process, seeking participation from State-level parties too. The Hindu’s Editorials Uniting front: On the INDIA bloc Onward, sunward: On India’s mission to study the sun [logo] Editor's Pick 04 September 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Kharge calls INDIA floor leaders meet before Parliament Special Session Ahead of the Special Session of Parliament between September 18 and 22, floor leaders of Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties will meet at the official residence of the Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday. The meeting has been convened for the Opposition parties to decide their strategy for the session, said sources. Though the Union government has not revealed the agenda for the session, Opposition parties think that its proposal for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, Assemblies and local bodies would be on the table. Opposition leaders continued to lash out at the idea of simultaneous elections. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. “The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the Indian Union and all its States,” Mr. Gandhi said on X (formerly Twitter). In a detailed statement, Mr. Kharge said the Narendra Modi government wanted democratic India to slowly turn into a dictatorship. “This gimmick of forming a committee on ‘one nation, one election’ is a subterfuge for dismantling the federal structure of India,” Mr. Kharge said, adding that at least five amendments would have to be made to the Constitution, along with an overhaul of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Mr. Kharge asked if the proposed [committee]( was best suited to deliberate and decide on perhaps the most drastic disruption in the Indian electoral process, seeking participation from State-level parties too. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Uniting front: On the INDIA blocÂ]( [Arrow][Onward, sunward: On India’s mission to study the sun]( [Sign up for free]( [[China confirms Xi Jinping will skip G-20 meet, Premier Li Qiang to attend] China confirms Xi Jinping will skip G-20 meet, Premier Li Qiang to attend]( [[CWC meeting in Hyderabad on Sept. 16; party to hold rally to announce ‘five guarantees’ for Telangana on Sept. 17] CWC meeting in Hyderabad on Sept. 16; party to hold rally to announce ‘five guarantees’ for Telangana on Sept. 17]( [[Article 370 case | Govt., respondents accuse petitioner Mohammad Akbar Lone of raising pro-Pak slogans] Article 370 case | Govt., respondents accuse petitioner Mohammad Akbar Lone of raising pro-Pak slogans]( [[Talk of early election is a sign that Narendra Modi is panicking after formation of INDIA bloc, says Congress] Talk of early election is a sign that Narendra Modi is panicking after formation of INDIA bloc, says Congress]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](