'One Nation, One Election' bill: Discontent brews in BJP over senior leaders absence in parliament

NEW DELHI: BJP leadership is dissatisfied with senior leaders including Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Giriraj Singh & CR Patil abstaining from the parliament during the ‘One Nation One Election’ policy bill introduction.

Despite the BJP's whip, about 20 members, including prominent ones, abstained. The leadership will give notice to the absentees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also absent from the assembly. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and MP KC Venugopal were absent as they had gone to Thrissur to attend the funeral of Sonia Gandhi's aide Madhavan.

A joint parliamentary committee to review the ‘One Nation One Election Bill was formed, with BJP MP PP Chaudhary as its chairman. Among the 21 members of the Lok Sabha are Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi, Manish Tewari and Sukhdev Bhagat.

BJP members Anurag Singh Thakur, CM Ramesh, Bansuri Swaraj, Parshotham Rupala, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Sambit Patra, VD Ram, Anil Baluni and VD Sharma were also included. 10 members from the Rajya Sabha have not been announced yet.