- NCP-SCP open to Delimitation Bill with conditions.
- Advocates uniform 50% seat increase for all states.
- Supriya Sule refutes NCP-SCP merger rumors with BJP.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharachandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday refused to comment on the party's stand on the delimitation bill but hinted that it is open to discussion on certain terms.
Speaking at a press conference, NCP-SCP leader refuted reports of backdoor discussions with the BJP, saying that the stance of the bill will be discussed by the INDIA bloc once the bill is officially introduced.
"We are against increasing the number of seats based on respective states' population as it will create injustice to the southern States. The final decision on supporting the delimitation Bill will be taken after discussing with the INDIA alliance members. Besides, we should also get the written copy of the delimitation Bill; only then will we be able to take an official stance. We are not against any Bill as we are policymakers, but such policies should be fair and accepted by all," NCP SP Lok Sabha MP added.
She added that parties like DMK, NCP-SCP and Samajwadi Party were open to consider a 50 per cent uniform increase and that has been their stand since the very beginning.
Notably, the government had brought the delimitation bill in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session this year. The bill was withdrawn after an associated women's quota bill (the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill) failed.
The draft of the delimitation bill capped the upper limit of the Lower House to 850 and left the state-wide distribution of seats to the Delimitation Commission. While the government had tried to persuade the Opposition that the increase would be roughly around 50 per cent for all states, the parties like NCP-SCP have sought an amendment to the draft making a uniform 50 per cent a guarantee.
"We all have unanimously approved the Women’s Reservation Bill in the past. As far as the Delimitation Bill is concerned, it must clearly state that the number of seats in all states will increase by 50% in equal proportion," she said. "There should also be a 50% cap so that no state faces injustice," Sule added.
Sule refutes merger reports
Sule rejected the speculations of a merger of NCP-SCP with the BJP, which arose after some meetings of both party leaders, including Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and NCP-SCP leader Jayant Patil.
I don't have so much spare time to indulge in gossip. I don't believe in sources; I believe in reality. Let me reassure you that all 8 MPs of NCP(SP) and all our MLAs, we stick together. Whatever decisions we will be taking... please understand NCP(SP) is a party where Sharad Pawar not only leads it, he invests in everybody and he listens. His biggest strength as a leader is that he is an amazing listener."