One State One Election: Rajasthan BJP chief backs Bhajanlal's poll reform push
Synopsis
Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Rathore has publicly backed CM Bhajanlal Sharma's 'One State, One Election' model for local body and Panchayati Raj polls — framing it not just as a cost-saving measure but as a governance imperative. The guidebook launch in Jaipur signals the party is preparing a legally informed, organisationally disciplined campaign push.
Key Takeaways
BJP Rajasthan State President Madan Rathore endorsed the 'One State, One Election' concept for local body and Panchayati Raj elections on Tuesday .
Rathore argued that staggered elections inflate expenditure and trigger repeated enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct , stalling development.
The BJP's Legal Cell released a guidebook for upcoming local body elections at the party's Jaipur headquarters .
Strong participation of youth and women workers was cited as a positive indicator ahead of the polls.
Senior leaders including BJP National General Secretary Harish Dwivedi attended the launch event.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajasthan State President and Rajya Sabha MP Madan Rathore on Tuesday backed Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma's initiative to hold local body and Panchayati Raj elections in Rajasthan under the 'One State, One Election' framework, calling it a significant step toward reducing electoral disruption and accelerating development.
Why Rathore Supports the Reform
Rathore argued that frequent, staggered elections impose heavy costs — financial and administrative — on the state machinery. He said repeated election cycles keep both the government and bureaucracy locked in electoral mode, while the Model Code of Conduct routinely halts development projects, causing measurable inconvenience and economic losses to ordinary citizens.
Speaking at the BJP state headquarters in Jaipur during the launch of a guidebook for the upcoming local body elections — prepared by the party's Legal Cell — Rathore described elections as a 'festival of democracy' but stressed that the festival must not come at the cost of governance continuity.
On Party Workers and Democratic Responsibility
Rathore emphasised that every BJP worker carries a duty to uphold democratic values across all tiers — Panchayat, Assembly, and Parliamentary elections alike. He said workers must ensure voters are informed with facts and must actively counter what he described as misinformation spread by the opposition.
He added that voters remain the ultimate authority in any democracy, and political workers exist to serve that authority — not override it.
Youth and Women at the Centre of BJP's Local Body Push
Rathore highlighted strong turnout of youth and women workers ahead of the local body polls, attributing the enthusiasm to the welfare outreach of the BJP-led 'double-engine government' at the grassroots level and the party's organisational depth across Rajasthan.
He underlined the BJP's emphasis on training young workers, providing them structured opportunities to gain political experience, and grooming them as future public representatives under the mentorship of senior leaders.
Senior Leaders Present at Guidebook Launch
The event was attended by several senior party figures, including BJP National General Secretary Harish Dwivedi, State General Secretary (Organisation) Ajey Kumar, State General Secretary Shravan Singh Bagdi, Legal Cell State Convener Saurabh Saraswat, Co-convener Bhawani Singh Rajawat, Media In-charge Pramod Vashishth, and Social Media Convener Hirenra Kaushik.
With local body elections approaching, the guidebook launch signals the BJP's intent to run a legally informed, organisationally disciplined campaign — and to use the 'One State, One Election' narrative as a governance differentiator heading into the polls.
Point of View
One Election' at a local level is tactically shrewd — it lets the BJP present an administrative reform argument while simultaneously building momentum for the upcoming local body polls. But the concept carries real tensions: simultaneous elections can suppress hyperlocal issues that staggered polls surface, and the Model Code of Conduct, however disruptive, also acts as a check on incumbent advantage. The BJP's framing of the reform as purely pro-development sidesteps that accountability dimension. Whether Rajasthan's experiment influences the national One Nation One Election debate will depend on whether it demonstrably cuts costs and timelines — metrics the party has not yet committed to publishing.
NationPress
25 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'One State, One Election' concept in Rajasthan?
It is an initiative by Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to hold local body and Panchayati Raj elections simultaneously across the state, rather than in staggered phases. The aim is to reduce administrative burden, cut election expenditure, and minimise disruptions caused by repeated enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
Why does Madan Rathore support One State One Election?
Rathore argues that frequent, separate elections keep the government and bureaucracy perpetually engaged in electoral duties, halting development work each time the Model Code of Conduct kicks in. He says consolidating elections reduces these disruptions and benefits the public directly.
What was the guidebook launched at the BJP Jaipur event?
The BJP's Legal Cell released a guidebook for party workers ahead of the upcoming Rajasthan local body elections. It is intended to help workers understand electoral rules and procedures, and to run a legally compliant campaign.
Who attended the BJP guidebook launch in Jaipur?
The event was attended by BJP National General Secretary Harish Dwivedi, State General Secretary (Organisation) Ajey Kumar, State General Secretary Shravan Singh Bagdi, Legal Cell State Convener Saurabh Saraswat, Co-convener Bhawani Singh Rajawat, Media In-charge Pramod Vashishth, and Social Media Convener Hirenra Kaushik.
How does Rajasthan's One State One Election relate to the national One Nation One Election debate?
Rajasthan's state-level initiative mirrors the logic of the Centre's broader One Nation One Election proposal — synchronising polls to cut costs and governance disruption. If the Rajasthan model delivers measurable results, it could serve as a template or political argument for the national push.
