New Delhi, April 18 (NationPress) Telangana's Chief Minister Revanth Reddy criticized the Narendra Modi administration on Saturday, commending the Opposition for successfully blocking the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha.

He charged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with leveraging the promise of women's reservation as a means to augment Lok Sabha seats and ultimately secure the two-thirds majority necessary for constitutional amendments.

Reddy urged the Union government to "refrain from fostering a North-South divide" via the Delimitation Bill, 2026.

This legislation, which aimed to establish 33 percent female representation in Parliament, failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority, igniting a significant political clash between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc.

The proposed legislation also sought to increase the size of the Lok Sabha but fell short despite a lengthy debate, garnering 298 votes for and 230 against, thus missing the necessary threshold.

In light of the outcome, the Centre opted not to move forward with two related Delimitation Bills, asserting that these three proposals should be considered separately.

The defeat of the Bill has escalated political friction, with the NDA accusing the Opposition INDIA bloc of intentionally obstructing what they termed a "landmark reform" aimed at enhancing women's representation in legislative bodies.

During a press conference, Chief Minister Reddy stated, "This is not only a defeat for the BJP's politics but also for their intentions. We’ve maintained that if the intentions are genuine, we would support the Bill. The Bills presented in the Lok Sabha may seem different, yet their true aim is to simply increase the number of seats under the guise of the Women's Reservation Bill. If the intention were to implement the Women's Reservation Bill, it could be enacted with minimal changes to the 2023 Bill."

Referring to the upcoming 2024 general elections, he remarked, "In 2024, PM Modi Ji's slogan was 'Abki Baar, 400 Paar.' Everyone knew they were aiming for 400 seats to eliminate reservations. This united the people against Modi, resulting in only 240 seats for them. It has become evident that the public is now aware of these tactics, making it difficult for the BJP to secure a two-thirds majority in the future."

Reddy emphasized that altering or abolishing constitutional provisions, including reservations, would necessitate a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

He added, "If they claim to be increasing the number of seats to nearly 850 in larger states where the BJP holds significant sway, they could achieve the necessary majority to amend the Constitution and eliminate reservations."

Reddy also noted, "Yesterday, the people of this nation and the Opposition together thwarted Modi Ji's ambitions in the Lok Sabha."

Additionally, he accused the BJP of attempting to discredit the Congress on this issue, stating, "Modi Ji, create good Bills and keep your intentions honest; do not question our commitment to women's reservation. It was the Congress that granted women the right to vote," contrasting this with the extended suffrage movement in nations like the U.S.

He urged the Centre to introduce a new Women's Reservation Bill promptly, assuring that the Opposition INDIA bloc would fully back such a proposal if it came to Parliament.

"Do not attempt to engineer a divide between North and South India. We are stakeholders in this nation, citizens willing to contribute to its growth," he appealed to the BJP-led Union government.

Using a mythological analogy, Reddy remarked, "Just as Maricha came to abduct Sita, Modi Ji is attempting to kidnap the Constitution. The BJP-NDA aims to do so, but we will not let them succeed."

He also alleged that laws have frequently been enacted without adequate discussion over the years.

Reddy concluded, "Modi Ji has repeatedly enacted laws without discussion for over 12 years. Intimidation, coercion, and various tactics were employed. Yesterday marked the defeat of his arrogance. The nation, embodying Hanuman, stood against PM Modi, rendering him powerless. His hubris faced defeat, and he should reflect on history; he reads the Ramayana and should understand how Hanuman triumphed over Bhimsen's arrogance."