KOLKATA:

HIGHLIGHTS

1. The meet was to discuss PM Modi's "One Nation One Election" initiative

2. She said a day's dialogue was not enough to take a call on the agenda

3. Most of the opposition parties have shot down the idea so far

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday sent a negative RSVP to today's
all-party meeting, saying a day's dialogue is not enough to take a call on the agenda.
The meet was to discuss Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "One Nation One Election"
initiative. Most of the opposition parties have shot down the idea so far. But few so far
have turned down the government's invite for talks.

In a letter to Pralhad Joshi, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mamata Banerjee sought
a White Paper on the subject, saying the matter requires consultation with experts.

"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.

The Chief Minister also turned down the other key issue up for discussion today - Niti
Aayog's proposal of developing "aspirational districts". The proposal involves fast
improvement of the socio-economic condition of 117 districts across 28 states.

Ms Banerjee said her party is against such a project as "it would not conform to the
overall objectives of achieving balanced and uniform development of all districts in the
state".

"Our state is committed to ensuring social and economic development of all districts
uniformly so that regional imbalances do not rise," she said in her letter.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has also decided to skip the high-
profile meeting because he is busy preparing for the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation
project's inauguration on June 21. KT Rama Rao -- his son and working president of the
Telangana Rashtra Samithi -- will attend it on his behalf.

86 COMMENTS
Mr Rao had not attended the Prime Minister's swearing-in ceremony on May 30 or the
NITI Aayog meet last week either.