Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 13 : Refuting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "delimitation will divide Bengal" claim, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said that she does not have other issues to discuss ahead of the 2026 State Assembly elections.
When asked about CM Mamata's statement, Adhikari told reporters, " (It is a) Lie... She does not have any issues (to speak about). Women are not safe in West Bengal; there is unemployment, and she is practising the politics of appeasement. The public has made up its mind to vote for the BJP."
On Sunday, Mamata Banerjee said that the special sitting of Parliament to bring in an amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has been called amid elections and alleged the government is bringing the Delimitation Bill without consultations.
She alleged that the Centre wants delimitation, a process to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha, to "divide Bengal."
"Elections are going on, and in the middle of that, they are bringing the Delimitation Bill in Parliament. This was not even debated. The reason behind this is that they want to divide Bengal and conduct the NRC here. Our fight is with 'Vanish Kumar' (referring to CEC Gyanesh Kumar). I reiterate this, BJP will be gone one day very soon," she said at an election rally in Keshiary.
The Parliament is set to meet for a three-day special session from April 16, with a focus on the Amendment Bill to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam tied women's reservation to the new census and delimitation. Due to census delays, the plan is to proceed with the 2011 census data.
The Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 816 post-amendment.
The Government has planned two major amendments, including a separate Delimitation Bill. Both bills need to be passed as Constitutional amendments for women's reservation. Keeping up with the status quo, there is no provision for OBC reservation, and SC/ST reservation will continue.
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