By DC Correspondent

Copyright deccanchronicle

Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to have picked on its one nation-one poll (ONOP) electoral promise as the next big reform for the country, promising that once in place, it can contribute to the continuing economic transformation of the country.The party on Tuesday said once the simultaneous elections plan was implemented, the savings from such a move can help increase the nation’s GDP by 1.5% to 2 %, or around Rs.4.5 lakh crore to Rs.5 lakh crore a year in recurring savings, which represents around 50% of annual spend on health and 33% yearly spending on the education sectors and these savings can be seen as economic gains. The BJP’s national secretary and spokesperson Anil K. Antony, said one nation-one poll can result in a transformation of the economy on the lines the GST regime brought about. Calling it the next big “sweeping reform”, Antony said synchronising elections can improve “government efficiency and increased participation by voters. Just like GST reforms that will make India the third largest economy in the world, one nation-one poll can boost economic trajectory and transform the country into a fully developed India with a prominent role in a multi-polar world.” He was addressing a press conference along with state BJP president N. Ramchander Rao and another party spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam. Ramchander Rao, answering a question on the government decision to ask the CBI to probe the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, said the BJP had from the beginning pitched for a CBI investigation but it is for the agency to take a decision on the procedural matters of taking up a case. “I am sure the appropriate measures will be taken administratively and there is no political interference in these matters,” he said. Zafar Islam said the GST reforms announced recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not only contribute to “ease of living” for all making goods used in daily lives cheaper, but also make aspirational goods more accessible to people. He said the GST reforms were a major decision implemented by Modi and these were much bigger in their impact than the 1991 economic liberalisation resulting in direct benefits to the people. He also called on people to use locally made products which would further strengthen the country’s economy and local businesses.