TDP, YSRCP, JDU back Constitution (Amendment) Bill; Akali Dal opposes

New Delhi: BJP's allies, TDP and JDU, extended full backing to the Constitution (Amendment) Bill while unattached YSRCP too extended its support but by underscoring that the delimitation formula should not become political tool. However, the Akali Dal, an estranged ally of BJP, opposed the legislation.

TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said that based on the assurances given by the PM and Union home minister Amit Shah, TDP was confident that no southern state would lose out in the delimitation formula. He alleged it was the past Congress government that tried to target his party in Andhra Pradesh through motivated delimitation of states but people fought back.

Rajeev Ranjan Singh, alias Lallan Singh of JDU, backed the government and accused the opposition of playing politics with women's reservation. "The bill is not brought in a hurry. It is brought after adequate thinking. There are 50% women in society. Hence, it cannot be called a hurried step... Congress is opposing the bill. They will never allow the implementation of any social reform in the country."


YSRCP's Midhun Reddy said his party is supporting the bill but made it a point to say the delimitation should not become a weapon to gain a political upper hand over the Opposition.

Akali Dal member Harsimrat Kaur Badal opposed the bill by accusing the centre of pushing for a questionable delimitation formula. Recalling her party had backed the women's reservation bill of 2023, she demanded the government introduce 33% reservation for women in the existing Lok Sabha.