Telangana CM Revanth Reddy Criticizes Modi Government's Approach to Women's Quota and Delimitation
In a press conference held at the Secretariat on Monday, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of Telangana launched a sharp critique against the Narendra Modi-led central government. He accused the administration of deliberately linking the women's reservation Bill with the delimitation process for political motives, cautioning that such a strategy could severely disadvantage southern states in India's parliamentary representation.
Proposal for a Hybrid Model to Ensure Equitable Representation
While expressing full support for the women's quota Bill, CM Revanth Reddy put forward a novel 'hybrid model' for delimitation aimed at ensuring fair representation across all states. Under the Centre's plan to increase the Lok Sabha's current strength of 543 seats by 50%, an additional 272 seats would be created. Revanth suggested that 136 of these new seats be allocated on a pro-rata basis, reflecting a uniform 50% increase for all states. The remaining 136 seats, he proposed, should be distributed among states based on their contribution to the Centre through Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
He emphasized that this model would help balance representation, noting that other states are welcome to propose alternative approaches. The CM criticized what he described as the Centre's "unnecessary haste" in advancing both delimitation and the women's reservation Bill simultaneously, alleging that the BJP is attempting to marginalize southern states, smaller states, Union Territories, and their SC, ST, and women populations by reducing them to "secondary-grade citizens" through a purely population-based expansion.
Warning of Widening Disparities and Political Marginalization
Revanth Reddy warned that the proposed 50% enhancement formula would exacerbate existing disparities. He illustrated that southern states, which currently hold 130 parliamentary seats, would see this number rise to 195 after the increase. In contrast, northern states, with 413 seats currently, would expand to 621 seats. This, he argued, would lead to the political marginalization of southern states, widening the gap in influence and resources.
To drive home his point, the CM used an economic analogy: if one person earning Rs 100 and another earning Rs 100 crore both receive a 50% increase, the disparity between them grows significantly. He stressed that numbers hold decisive weight in politics, recalling how the government led by A B Vajpayee once fell by a single vote, underscoring the critical importance of equitable representation.
Call for Comprehensive Debate and Consultative Process
Urging a thorough discussion, CM Revanth Reddy called for the issue to be debated in Parliament as well as in all state assemblies. He recommended consultations with political parties and civil society, along with the formation of an expert committee. He further proposed that the matter be placed before state assemblies and subsequently approved by Parliament before finalizing the terms of reference.
The CM indicated that such a consultative process could be completed by March 2028 and cautioned the Centre against rushing decisions that could deepen regional imbalances. He emphasized the need for updated data, questioning why the legislation is being advanced based on the 2011 Census rather than waiting for the 2026 Census results.
Support for Women's Reservation with Conditions
On the women's reservation front, Revanth Reddy reiterated the Congress party's full support but maintained that its implementation should follow the 2026 Census. This, he said, would allow reservations to be applied in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and subsequent assembly polls. He noted that the Congress had supported the Bill in 2023 and estimated that 181 women could have been elected to the Lok Sabha had a 33% quota been implemented in the 2024 elections.
Recalling earlier developments, he stated that the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi but did not clear the Lok Sabha at the time due to a lack of support from the BJP. This historical context, he argued, highlights the political complexities surrounding the issue and the need for a more inclusive and data-driven approach.
