Will not tolerate Modi govt's 'gerrymandering' of constituencies through delimitation: SP

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday made clear that the opposition will "not tolerate" Modi government's "gerrymandering" of constituencies through a delimitation, claiming that the ruling BJP is using the exercise to "create handpicked constituencies of their choosing" to "cling to power by any means".

Govt using delimitation to cling to power by any means: SP

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said they are in favor of women's reservation but against the BJP's "cunning ploy, which is being carried out under a conspiracy".

"The BJP and their allies are tight-lipped about the women of the country's largest population segment, meaning the 'backward classes.' The haste they are showing in the name of this amendment is actually driven by the BJP's intent to avoid a Census, because if a census happens, they will have to provide caste-wise data too, and caste-wise reservations as well," he said.

"This is a massive BJP conspiracy, in which the rights of the backward classes are being looted by rejecting delimitation based on a census. Parties should be given the leeway to implement it based on proportional representation. This is a secret plan by shadowy figures against democracy, which is unacceptable until reforms are made in the process," he said.

Party's Rajya Sabha floor leader Ramgopal Yadav said that the law on women's quota was unanimously passed by Parliament and not a single member voted against it.

"The bill to amend that legislation reflects the government's malicious intent. Voting in West Bengal is scheduled for April 23 and 29. The House could still have been summoned after that. What mountain was being moved all these days?" he said.

He said there is no justification for delimitation based on the 2011 Census.

"It was decided: first the census, then delimitation, then elections. This will inevitably face opposition, and the government's intention is to brand the opposition as anti-women's reservation and go around the entire country tarnishing their image," he said.

"Now the whole country knows that the BJP's intent is to cling to power by any means necessary—by using delimitation to create handpicked constituencies of their choosing. The opposition will not tolerate such gerrymandering," he said.

The party made its stand clear as the Parliament is reconvening on Thursday to pass a Constitution amendment bill for early implementation of 33 per cent women's quota by increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats from 550 to 850 and redrawing the boundaries on the basis of population count of 2011.