The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which announced its wholehearted support to the delimitation bill moved by the NDA government in Parliament on Thursday, tried to create an impression it is giving a conditional support.
YSRCP Lok Sabha floor leader P Mithun Reddy, who spoke in Lok Sabha, said his party will not support the bill if Andhra Pradesh loses even a single parliamentary seat.
He emphasised that the party’s support is conditional on safeguarding the state’s representation.
He reiterated that YSRCP president and former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has consistently championed women’s empowerment, recalling that during the YSRCP government, 50% reservations were implemented for women in nominated posts and local bodies. He added that similar allocation was ensured in nominated works as well.
The YSRCP leader said the Centre has assured that all states would see a 50% increase in seats irrespective of population data, and confirmed that his party fully supports the Women’s Reservation Bill.
However, he stressed that clarity from the Union government is essential to address concerns surrounding delimitation.
He further demanded that any increase in seats should be distributed proportionately across all regions within the state.
Mithun Reddy also pointed out that the bill cannot be passed without opposition support, urging the Centre to act transparently to ensure broader consensus.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, however, sought to allay concerns, stating that southern states would not face any injustice due to delimitation.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha during discussions on delimitation and women’s reservation-related bills, Shah announced a significant proposed increase in parliamentary seats.
According to Shah, Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are expected to rise from 25 to 38, while Telangana would see an increase from 17 to 26.
Karnataka’s seats could go up from 28 to 42, Tamil Nadu from 39 to 59, and Kerala from 20 to 30.
He asserted that the increase in seats for southern states would exceed their population share, dismissing opposition criticism as misleading and aimed at creating unnecessary apprehension among the public.
