The Hindu Business Line : MPs appeal for ‘all-party Government’

New Delhi, Sept. 10 A number of parliamentarians have got together to make an appeal to leaders of political parties and legislators to consider the option of forming an All-Party National Government if the impasse among members of the ruling coalition leads to the possibility of a mid-term poll.

Citing the high cost borne by the exchequer for conducting an election, eleven Members of Parliament, including Mr Robert Kharshiing, Mr Rahul Bajaj, Mr Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Gen Shankar Roychowdhury (retd.) and Mr T.R. Zeliang, have said in their open appeal that they are in favour of former President Mr R. Venkataraman’s suggestion for having a National Government to avoid mid-term polls.

“According to the Election Commission of India, the cost of conducting the 1999 polls came to Rs 880 crore. The expenditure for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections came to Rs 1,300 crore. It is estimated that the cost for conducting a mid-term poll now would be to the tune of Rs 2,700 crore. All this without counting the money that political parties themselves would spend during elections, which comes to much more than the Government expenditure,” letter said.

“The majority of the present Lok Sabha is not keen on another election. We hope the present Government continues, but if that is not the case we hope that others will consider our support for an all-party system,” Mr Bajaj said.