New Delhi, Aug 04: With his suggestion evoking a mixed response from political parties, Deputy Prime Minister L L Advani today said a final decision on holding elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies simultaneously would be taken only after wide ranging consultations even as BJP maintained it was an "academic exercise" at the moment. Addressing the parliamentary party meeting here, Advani said the constitution makers were in favour of synchronised elections - a practice followed till 1971. He said the suggestion, which was initially made by vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, would be discussed within the BJP, cabinet, government, NDA allies and other political parties before arriving at a decision, party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters. Advani said having been in power for over five years, it has realised that the ruling party's remaining constantly in election mode affected governance. Besides, simultaneous polls would also reduce poll expenditure, he said.
Asked about party general secretary Pramod ,Mahajan's remarks that the suggestion was an academic exercise, Malhotra said "it is an academic exercise at the moment."

"Much will depend on the election commission," he said.
Advani also accused the opposition of repeatedly raking up the Ayodhya issue in the absence of any other issues.
Party MP Sheesh Ram sought early construction of the ram temple at Ayodhya and implementation of uniform civil code and population control measures to which Advani did not respond.
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not present at the meeting due to another "engagement". Bureau Report