The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met on Friday to discuss the government's plan to delimitation based on the 2011 census and to operationalize the women’s reservation law. The party said it would map a joint strategy with Opposition partners for the upcoming three-day special session of Parliament. The decision comes as leaders seek to ensure the reservation law can be implemented by the 2029 Lok Sabha election and argued for broader consultation on delimitation.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that he would convene a meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc on April 15, a day before the three-day session begins. The aim is to craft a unified approach so the quota can be implemented by 2029 and to push for a 50% increase in the strength of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
Among voices in the wider political discourse, concerns were raised about the timing and potential consequences of the move under the Model Code of Conduct. Kharge pressed for opposition unity and deeper deliberation on delimitation and women’s empowerment, signaling a cautious but determined stance.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan countered that India’s women deserve outcomes, not recurring promises, and urged a results-oriented approach rather than political theatrics.
The Congress emphasised that the immediate quota would proceed in tandem with broader consultations on delimitation, with party leaders hopeful that a well-structured strategy could translate into tangible gains by the 2029 elections.
