NCP (SP) open to delimitation with uniform 50% seat increase across states, says Supriya Sule

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) is open to considering the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, provided every state receives an equal 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats and women’s reservation is implemented, party working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule said on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of Parliament’s upcoming session, Sule said her party could support the Delimitation Bill in principle if the proposed increase followed a uniform formula across states and served the national interest.

Her remarks could provide a boost to the Modi government, which is seeking political consensus and the two-thirds majority required to pass the constitutional amendment bill, after an earlier version failed to clear Parliament.

NCP (SP) backs equal seat increase

Explaining the party’s position, Sule referred to a proposal previously put forward by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to increase parliamentary seats by 50 per cent in every state.

“If all states are getting seats in an equal and uniform proportion, then there is no objection to considering it,” she said.

Sule maintained that the NCP (SP) was willing to accept the formula “in principle”, provided it was applied equally and benefited the country as a whole.

She said the party’s position was consistent with the stand it had taken during all-party discussions held three months ago.

However, she made it clear that the delimitation exercise must not go ahead without the implementation of women’s reservation.

Sule cites rising voter numbers

Making a case for redrawing constituency boundaries, Sule pointed to the growing electorate in parliamentary constituencies across the country.

Citing Baramati as an example, she said the number of voters in her constituency had risen from 10–12 lakh to nearly 20–22 lakh. Several constituencies across the country, she added, now have between 25 lakh and 40 lakh voters.

She also questioned how MPs could effectively serve such large populations with the existing Rs 5 crore allocation under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

“Representation is a service. Imagine reaching 25 to 40 lakh people; even if someone were Superman or Batman, they couldn’t reach everyone,” Sule said.

She argued that smaller constituencies were necessary to make representation more effective and ensure that local development needs received adequate attention.

Sule rules out merger, reaffirms INDIA bloc ties

While expressing openness to the delimitation proposal, Sule dismissed speculation that the NCP (SP) could join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) or reunite with the rival NCP faction.

Responding to rumours of a possible merger following the death of Ajit Pawar, she said the matter had been settled and no merger proposal was under consideration.

Sule said the chapter had closed on the day her brother passed away, putting an end to speculation about a reunion between the two factions.

She reaffirmed that the NCP (SP) remained firmly aligned with the opposition INDIA bloc, adding that the alliance had also discussed the proposal for a uniform 50 per cent increase in parliamentary seats.

(with IANS inputs)