New Delhi, April 16 -- The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday termed the Women's Reservation Bill a "disguised agenda" and demanded a 50% quota for women, even as the Opposition claimed it had the numbers to challenge the government during voting.
According to sources, the Opposition bloc believes it can muster around 165-170 votes in the Lok Sabha, factoring in conservative estimates and possible uncertainties in attendance. This includes support from parties such as the Indian National Congress, Samajwadi Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and Left parties including Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), however, is estimated to have the backing of 300-320 MPs, including support from allies such as the YSR Congress Party.
Despite acknowledging the NDA's numerical advantage, TMC leaders said the issue goes beyond numbers. A senior party member alleged that the government's push for delimitation is a "sinister plot" with long-term political implications. At the heart of the Opposition's criticism is the perceived link between the Women's Reservation Bill and the proposed delimitation exercise. TMC leaders argued that enhancing women's representation is being used as a "smokescreen" to facilitate constituency reorganisation.
During the Lok Sabha debate, TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar described the Bill as a "disguised" attempt aimed at delimitation rather than genuine women's empowerment. She also demanded that the quota for women be increased from 33% to 50%.
"Our party already fields more than 33% women candidates. now our demand is for 50%," she said, adding that the party maintains a significantly high level of women's representation.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.