Delimitation Bill: Rijiju reaches out to Rahul again, gets no commitment

New Delhi: Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju reached out to Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for the second consecutive day on Thursday to discuss a way out for bringing the Constitution amendment bill for increasing the strength of the Lower House and the Women's reservation, but the impasse continues as the principal Opposition did not make any commitment.

Sources said Rijiju made a phone call to Gandhi to know Congress' view but the latter suggested that an all-party meeting be called before the matter comes up in the House. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has taken the same stand earlier. However, the government sees this as a futile exercise if Congress is adamant on its opposition to the legislation as this being a Constitution amendment bill requires division of votes to confirm two-thirds majority. The House has to be in order for this to take place.


Read more: Kiren Rijiju reaches out to Rahul Gandhi to break Parliament deadlock

Rijiju had met Gandhi earlier on Wednesday and had a 50-minute conversation over the matter. Government has reached out to several Opposition parties individually to bring them on board.

While DMK maintains that it will take a view after seeing the draft of the bill as it wants the increase of seats by 50% to be made part of the legislation, TMC and AAP are opposed to it. Some parties are ambivalent but the government is optimistic about convincing them.

Read more: Govt, opposition discuss Delimitation Bill in 50-minute Parliament meeting: Sources

Though the recent defections from Shiv Sena (UBT), TMC and AAP have boosted NDA's strength, the ruling dispensation does not want to take any risks after the Constitution amendment was defeated earlier. In the present political scenario, it would be bad optics for the government to bulldoze the bill, especially with Congress strength of 98 members in the Lok Sabha. The House has to be in order for the division of votes.