New Delhi, April 17 -- In a major legislative setback for the government, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to implement women's reservation starting from the 2029 general elections, was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

The defeat has triggered a wave of political manoeuvring, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi reaching out to TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee to consolidate the opposition's stance.

Following the results, high-level communication between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) signalled a victory for the united opposition front.

Sources within the AITC confirmed that Rahul Gandhi held a telephonic conversation with Abhishek Banerjee shortly after the session.

"After the Bi...