Patna, April 16 -- Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Thursday said that the initiative to provide 33 per cent reservation for women belongs to Congress.

He said that it was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi whose efforts made women's quota in village and district panchayats possible.

He, however, opposed the Centre's move to push for delimitation.

"The women's bill should be passed as soon as possible. It was the initiative of the Congress itself. Rajiv Gandhi had worked to secure 33 per cent reservation in village and district panchayats. The Congress party has always wanted women to get reservations in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. The way in which the delimitation is being done, it should be opposed," Singh told reporters ...