Revanth To Mobilise Support From Small State CMS

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday said he would make all efforts to mobilise support from southern and smaller states against the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, which seeks to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent in all states on a pro-rata basis. He also pressed for a separate quota for the Backward Classes communities within the proposed 33 per cent reservation for women.

The Chief Minister announced that he would write to Chief Ministers of all southern states, as well as smaller states, including Punjab and Delhi, urging them to oppose the delimitation model in the interest of their respective states. He said his letters would clearly explain the “conspiracy” behind linking the two unrelated issues and seek their support.

“I urge Chief Ministers not to view this delimitation exercise through a political lens but in the larger interest of their states. This should not be treated as a political issue,” he said.

Revanth Reddy asserted that women’s reservation and delimitation were two entirely different matters and should be discussed and implemented separately with clear procedures. He accused the Modi government of creating a narrative that the Opposition was not cooperating by strategically linking both issues.

He reiterated that the Congress has always supported 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures, but insisted it should be implemented immediately without waiting for the completion of the national Census, so that states going to polls before that can extend reservation in their Assemblies.

He further stated that the Congress supported not only women’s reservation but also a separate quota for women belonging to Backward Classes within the 33 per cent reservation.

Highlighting the party’s legacy, he said it was the Congress that granted voting rights to women in the Constitution at a time when many countries had not done so, and ensured equal opportunities by enabling women to occupy key constitutional positions such as Prime Minister, President, Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Ministers and Governors.

Recalling past initiatives, he noted that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi introduced reservations for women in local bodies, while under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, the women’s reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha but could not be cleared in the Lok Sabha due to the lack of support from the BJP.

He alleged that the BJP ignored the women's quota Bill for years and only recently brought it forward, but delayed its implementation by linking it to post-2026 Census data instead of implementing it immediately. He pointed out that if 33 per cent reservation had been implemented in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, about 181 women could have been elected.

The Chief Minister said the Congress would fully support the women’s reservation Bill if it is implemented based on the 2011 Census and remains committed to women’s political empowerment. However, he strongly objected to combining the Bill with delimitation, calling it a political ploy. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using delimitation as a political tool in a dangerous manner.

Responding to criticism from Union ministers Bandi Sanjay and G. Kishan Reddy, who alleged that the Congress had opposed women’s reservation, Revanth Reddy countered that the Congress had done more for women over the past 60 years than the BJP had in its 46-year history since its formation on April 6, 1980.

He pointed out that the BJP had appointed 15 national presidents so far but had never chosen a woman for the post or even as national general secretary (organisation), questioning the party’s commitment to women.

He defended the Congress’s track record, citing the leadership of Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, and said the party had consistently worked under women leaders while promoting women’s participation in governance. He criticised remarks made by Bandi Sanjay, stating they were against SCs, STs and women in southern states, and challenged BJP leaders to first appoint a woman as party president before commenting on Congress.

Revanth Reddy said MPs from Telangana had fought to achieve statehood and would now fight against the proposed delimitation as well. He warned that if the 50 per cent seat increase is implemented, even Union Ministers from Telangana like Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay would lose relevance, remarking that they may have to “stand as attendants before their bosses in Delhi” as their political importance diminishes.

He recalled that Chief Ministers of southern states and Punjab had already discussed the issue in Chennai last year and written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concerns over delimitation and seat increase. He appealed to the Prime Minister to convene an all-party meeting to deliberate on the issue before proceeding further.