'Weapon of Mass Distraction': Congress slams PM Modi's push for increasing Lok Sabha seats

New Delhi: Congress on Sunday doubled down its attack on the proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50%, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance to south India that they will not see reduction in seats “Weapon of Mass Distraction” while accusing him of "bulldozing" a move that benefits only large and populous states.

General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh said the proposal was being pushed through in Parliament on April 16-18 without “meaningful consultations and widespread public debate”.

In a post on ‘X’, he claimed that the Prime Minister is up to his “usual tricks of making misleading statements that are meant to deceive”. At an election rally in Kerala on Saturday, Modi said that his government will ensure in Parliament that no state, whether it is Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, or Telangana, will see a reduction in Lok Sabha seats.

“This is hoodwinking the people of the country in which the Prime Minister has unique expertise. For example, the difference between UP’s and Kerala’s seats in Lok Sabha is now 60. Modi’s proposal will increase it to 90. Similarly the difference between UP and Tamil Nadu will increase from 39 to at least 59. Such examples can be multiplied,” he said.

Alleging that Modi is “bulldozing a proposal that will work more to the benefit” of larger and populous states since their already large numbers will get “further magnified”, he said it is not just South India but states like Punjab and Haryana and those in the north-east that will also see their relative influence decline.

“The nation is facing a serious economic and foreign policy crisis. All that the PM is bothered about is pushing through an increase in the strength of the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas without meaningful consultations and widespread public debate. This is nothing but a Weapon of Mass Distraction (WMD),” he said.

On Friday, the Congress had voiced its objections to the proposal of increasing seats in legislatures by 50%, saying it will disturb the present differentials and relative strength of states and put those in south, north-west and north-east at a disadvantage.

With more Opposition parties critiquing the proposal, the government may have to sweat it out to ensure a two-third majority in Parliament to get the Constitution amendment bills.

At present, the ruling NDA has 293 MPs and would need the support of the 234-strong Opposition to clear the Bills.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of party's senior MPs on April 9 followed by deliberations with Opposition parties before Parliament reconvenes on April 16.

"Delimitation is a serious issue. Some states should not face impact. There is something hidden in this proportionate increase. The current relative strength should not be weakened. There should not be any hurry. What we need is unanimity...We do not want any disturbance in the present differentials and relative strength. No state should suffer," Ramesh had said.