New Delhi: Is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) grappling with internal discontent after more than 20 of its Lok Sabha MPs, including prominent Union ministers, skipped the crucial introduction of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bills on Tuesday? This despite a three-line whip mandating their attendance, the absence of these members sparked criticism from the opposition and raised questions about party discipline.
Among the notable absentees were Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Giriraj Singh, and CR Patil, as well as senior MPs such as Shantanu Thakur and Jagdambika Pal. While some absentees cited valid reasons, including attending official events or personal commitments, others failed to provide sufficient explanations, leaving party leadership dissatisfied.
MPs did not communicate their absence adequately
Union ministers CR Patil and Bhagirath Choudhary were in Jaipur attending the ‘Ek Varsh-Parinaam Utkarsh’ event commemorating the Rajasthan government’s first year in office, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest. However, other MPs did not communicate their absence adequately, prompting BJP floor managers to flag the issue.
According to reports, the BJP have indicated that the leadership is deeply upset over the absences and plans to issue notices to the MPs who defied the whip. A meeting is scheduled for Wednesday to address the matter. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasised the importance of MPs attending parliamentary sessions, particularly during critical legislative discussions. Party insiders suggest that the leadership may seek explanations from the erring MPs to ensure greater accountability in the future.
The ‘One Nation, One Election’ bills, officially titled The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, propose simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, with a division vote resulting in 269 members supporting the introduction and 196 opposing it.
BJP’s reduced strength in the House gave opposition a point
While the bills were successfully introduced, the BJP’s reduced strength in the House gave the opposition a point to highlight. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor remarked that while the government has sufficient numbers to introduce the bills, it does not currently possess the two-thirds majority required to pass the constitutional amendments.
The absence of BJP MPs, despite the leadership’s clear directives, has provided the opposition with ammunition to question the party’s internal cohesion and support for the contentious legislation. Although the absences did not impact the introduction of the bills, they underscore the challenges the BJP may face in achieving the required majority for their passage.
The BJP leadership is expected to take measures to ensure full attendance during future parliamentary proceedings, particularly for critical legislative initiatives such as the ‘One Nation, One Election’ plan, which remains a cornerstone of the Modi government’s agenda.
