Congress links defections to BJP’s quest for two-thirds majority

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday alleged that the BJP's pursuit of a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha is ultimately aimed at amending the Constitution to end reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

In an interview with PTI Videos, Ramesh claimed that the ruling party's immediate objective was to push through delimitation proposals linked to women's reservation, while its long-term goal was to alter constitutional provisions relating to reservation.

The Congress leader also linked recent defections from Opposition parties to the BJP's efforts to strengthen its numbers in Parliament. He alleged that the party was attempting to secure the strength required to push through major constitutional amendments.

Ramesh further argued that if the government was serious about implementing women's reservation, it should do so on the existing strength of 543 Lok Sabha seats for the 2029 general election rather than linking it to delimitation.

Referring to the defeat of the Constitution amendment bill on April 17, he claimed the Opposition's resistance was directed at the delimitation proposal and not at women's reservation. He maintained that the BJP's "real target" was to secure the numbers needed for wider constitutional changes.

The BJP has repeatedly denied Opposition allegations that it intends to alter reservation provisions or weaken constitutional safeguards.

With PTI inputs