PM Modi suggests state funding of elections to improve transparency in public life

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suggested state funding of polls to improve transparency in public life and combat corruption, he made this remarks while chairing an all party meeting at Parliament House yesterday evening ahead of the winter session of Parliament beginning today. Giving takeaways from the Prime Minister's remarks, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters that Prime Minister asked the political parties to make consensus on holding simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Mr Modi hoped a discussion in Parliament on demonetisation would send out a positive message that the political class was capable of acting for the good of the people rather than conveying a negative message. Mr Modi has appealed to the political parties to support the government's war against black money, corruption and terror funding. Mr Modi urged the parties to raise the issue of national interest and make the session fruitful.

Rejecting the allegations of the opposition on leakage of information, Mr Kumar said, the allegations are baseless and full secrecy was maintained before the announcement. Talking to reporters, Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Ghulam



Nabi Azad said his party is not opposed to the demonetisation of high value notes but is against the chaos resulting from what he called unprepared move. 

He said, it appears that there has been selective leakage of government's decision and the Congress will raise the issue in Parliament along with other like minded parties. CPIM leader Sitaram Yechury said, old notes should be allowed till alternative arrangements are in place. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC leader Sudip Bandhopadhya, JD(U)'s Sharad Yadav and others attended the all party meeting.

Earlier, BJP came down heavily on the Opposition saying the Prime Minister is trying to curb black money with demonetisation exercise, but rival parties have ganged up against him. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, party Secretary Shrikant Sharma claimed that the general public is in the support of the move despite difficulties. 

Before the all party meet, the Opposition parties including Congress, Left, TMC, NCP and JD(U) also had a meeting to evolve a common strategy to corner the government in Parliament on various issues.