Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the opposition INDIA bloc must collectively decide its response to the proposed delimitation bill.
Talking to reporters here, the Chief Minister said he will attend a meeting of the INDIA bloc in New Delhi at the residence of Mallikarjun Kharge to deliberate on a joint strategy.
“We cannot act alone. The INDIA bloc will have to decide together what our response will be and what role we will play in Parliament, whether in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha,” he said.
Raising concerns over past delimitation exercises, he alleged that constituency restructuring was carried out in a manner that benefited the BJP and its allies. “The way seats were distributed, constituencies carved, maps drawn and voters shifted, the purpose appeared to favour a particular political side,” he said.
The CM added that if the proposed bill follows a similar pattern, it will require close scrutiny. “If it is meant to benefit a particular party rather than the common voter, it has to be examined carefully. The opposition will deliberate collectively before taking a stand,” he said.
Meanwhile, CM Omar Abdullah participated in the INDIA bloc meeting held at Kharge’s residence.
After the meeting, Kharge said they will oppose delimitation.
“We are not against women’s reservation, but oppose the way the government is bringing the bills. It is politically motivated. We have decided to oppose the delimitation bill,” Kharge said
