Congress MP Shashi Tharoor at Parliament House in New Delhi on Thursday. Express Photo by Prem Nath Pandey. 28.04.2016.
Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday once again said India needs to relook at its electoral system and that a presidential system could help ensure better governance. His remarks come amid the recent political turmoil in Bihar, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned on Wednesday to form a fresh government with the BJP on Thursday.
Tharoor took to Twitter, saying: This is now the 3rd time that BJP has formed a state government after losing an election. Goa, Manipur & Bihar show our democracy in poor light. Our system allows legislature to form executive, making it easy for parties to betray the wishes of the voters. BJP was rejected in election!”
“I’ve been arguing for a presidential system of directly-elected leaders at all levels. That way the winner rules. This way “chatur” pols rule,” Tharoor said.
In Goa and Manipur, the BJP did not emerge as the single-largest party but yet managed to form government by allying with regional forces. In Bihar, the JD(U), RJD and Congress had formed a Grand Alliance ahead of the 2105 polls but 20 months later, JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar decided to pull out saying he could not continue amid the on-going allegations of corruption against alliance partner RJD.
The former Union minister has repeatedly been advocating for a re-look at India’s electoral and governance system. In February this year, at an event in Kerala, Tharoor had said that the present system has no accountability and is not democratic enough.
