New Delhi: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today extended his support to 'One Nation One Election' idea proposed by the BJP-led NDA government at Centre.

"I supported the resolution for One Nation One Election. The Parliament and Assembly elections should be held simultaneously," Naveen told media after attending the all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi this afternoon.

“Frequent elections affect the pace of development and also rock the spirit of cooperative federalism. BJD will fully support the idea of ‘One nation, One election’. There has to be a give and take attitude in the larger interest of the country,” Naveen added.

The Odisha CM also said that his party always supports work for the development of the country. “Biju Janata Dal has always supportive of whatever is being done in the interest of the country and its people, and we would continue to do so in future as well,” Patnaik assured.

On Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebration, Odisha CM urged the members at the meeting to include non violence in the preamble of Indian Constitution.

"Also as far as the celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi anniversary, I suggested that Ahimsa and non violence should be included in the preamble of the Constitution,"

He also suggested for women's reservation both in Parliament and the assemblies and repeated his demand for special category status for Odisha.

Naveen was among other state CMs who attended the meeting  to discuss key issues including One Nation One Election, ways to improve productivity of Parliament, building of New India in the 75th years on Independence, Programme and commitments to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary and development of aspirational districts.

However, the attendance was thin at the meeting. Eight parties including Congress refused to attend the meeting. While West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee skipped the meeting expressing reservations about the modality, Mayawati mocked the government.

Earlier, Naveen-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had backed Modi’s pitch for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, while some other opposition parties termed the suggestion as 'impractical'.

Notably, the all-party meeting was called to discuss PM Modi's initiative of 'One Nation One Election', which the BJP claims to save both time and money. However, several opposition parties refused to back the idea, saying it is against federal system and questioned the feasibility of such a move.