PUNE: Maharashtra finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Friday said the state was ready with manpower, machinery as well as money if the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued directions for simultaneous elections in 2019.In such a situation, both Lok Sabha and assembly elections would be held in the first half of the year.“If such a decision is taken, the state will be more than ready. We are ready with the necessary manpower, machinery and money and we should not have any issue to go for simultaneous elections,” the minister said while speaking with TOI on Friday.The state finance minister further pointed out that Maharashtra is not known for booth capturing cases or use of arms and ammunition as against other states and should not have any issue in organizing the polls.Mungantiwar said that at present the Lok Sabha and assembly elections are held separately but if any directions come from centre then the state will be prepared. He said the move would help cut down costs tremendously. However, he was not open about the party’s stand to go for simultaneous polls stating that it would be too early to spell out anything as it is a hypothetical situation.“I can say that if any decision comes by, the state is ready,” he reiterated.When asked about how some of the BJP members have expressed their displeasure over simultaneous polls and it was expressed in a recent meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah and other state leaders, Mungantiwar said that there was time to take a call and everything depended on whether the centre announces simultaneous polls.“As of now we have the Lok Sabha polls next year in the first half and assembly polls in the latter half. There is no change currently,” he said.Senior BJP officials have maintained that if simultaneous elections are held, there is a possibility of ‘reverse reaction’ from unhappy voters. With separate elections, some damage control can be done and the party wanted to continue falling back on the Modi wave, added a senior BJP official.However, no decision has been taken so far because of legal issues as there would be changes required in the Constitution of India and the Representation of People Act, 1951. According to sources, this is a prolonged process and it is unlikely to get approval before the proposed parliamentary elections.Mungantiwar is also a member of the steering committee appointed by the state on Wednesday. The aim of the committee is to work on recommendations for simultaneous elections in 2024. The minister said that the committee would work on three areas and give its recommendations by next year.“These recommendations are being worked on for the next Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha polls. We will have a detailed analysis of the merits and demerits, how the state exchequer will be affected, and how other democratic countries conduct polls using modern technology,” Mungantiwar shared.

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