Congress Leader Accuses Modi Government of 'Diabolical Game' Over Delimitation Issue

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi-led government of playing a "diabolical game" on the delimitation issue, claiming that it was at least 26 members short of a two-thirds majority to get the delimitation bill passed. Ramesh said all opposition parties want 543 seats to remain frozen for the next 25 years. "Reports are planted every now and then that a special session could take place this time or that time, but the truth is that the government is at least 26 short of a two-thirds majority," Ramesh said. He made the remarks at the launch of the book The Delimitation Debate - The Union and Its Units . The Congress general secretary in-charge communications, during a panel discussion with CPI(M)'s John Brittas and Samajwadi Party's Javed Ali Khan, slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the manner in which he brought the Constitution amendment bill involving delimitation to implement the women's reservation act earlier this month. Ramesh also said delimitation has two parts -- seat distribution and geographical distribution. He said concerns arise due to what happened in Assam and Jammu and Kashmir in the manner in which delimitation was carried out.