Mamata Banerjee, Uddhav Thackeray to skip all-party meet on 'one nation, one election' with PM Modi

NEW DELHI: West Bengal Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will not attend the all-party meet on 'one nation, one election' with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. 

In a letter to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, the Trinamool chief says that the meeting’s agenda – 'One Country and One Election' – has been convened at a short notice and the centre should first circulate a white paper inviting suggestions on the same. 

"A proper response on such a sensitive and serious subject like the 'One Country, one election' in such a short time would not do justice to the subject it deserves. The matter requires consultations with constitutional experts, elections experts and above all the party members.

"Instead of doing the matter hurriedly, I would request you to kindly circulate a White Paper on the subject to all political parties inviting their views by providing adequate time. If you only do so, we will be able to give concrete suggestions on this important subject," she wrote in the letter, reported news agency PTI.

Shiv Sena chief will also not be able to attend the all-party meet owing to prior engagements. The party is celebrating its 53rd Foundation Day on Wednesday. Thackeray is scheduled to meet several party leaders throughout the day, and later address a meet at Shanmukhananda hall in the evening.

PM Modi has invited the heads of all parties, who have a lawmaker either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, for a meeting on June 19 to discuss several issues including the 'one nation, one poll' idea. Talks will also be held on the celebration of the 75 years of Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year. This will be followed by a dinner meeting with all MPs on June 20.

Mamata Banerjee, in her letter, added that her party would wholeheartedly take part in the 75 years of Independence in 2022 and 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary this year.