NCP (SP) Divided Over Delimitation Bill Ahead of Meeting With PM Modi
The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (SP) appeared divided on Sunday over its stance on the upcoming delimitation bill, just a day before party MPs were scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, party leaders presented conflicting views on whether to oppose the proposed legislation or hold discussions with the central government.
Maharashtra NCP (SP) president Shashikant Shinde stated in Mumbai that the party had no objection to discussing the delimitation bill if the Union government assured that it would not be misused for political gains. Shinde emphasized that the party does not oppose women’s reservation, which was approved in 2023, but expressed concern that constituency boundaries could be altered for political advantage. He added that the upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Modi was focused on public issues such as drought and water scarcity, as previously clarified by NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule.
However, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar took a contrasting line while interacting with reporters, asserting that all party MPs would actively oppose the legislation in Parliament and that none would abstain. Pawar alleged that under the guise of delimitation, attempts were being made to alter assembly and Lok Sabha constituency boundaries by redrawing ward and prabhag lines, which he claimed would threaten democracy.
The public disagreement within the party comes amid political speculation regarding a potential rapprochement between the NCP (SP) and the ruling Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, as well as possible issue-based support to the National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi opposition coalition also reacted to the developments. All India Congress Committee national secretary Sachin Sawant urged NCP (SP) MPs to firmly convey to the Prime Minister that the 2023 women's reservation bill should be implemented immediately without being linked to delimitation, and that the INDIA alliance remains united in opposition to the move.
Meanwhile, senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and Devendra Fadnavis travelled together on Sunday to Kolhapur on the same commercial flight. Party sources described the shared flight as a coincidence, noting that Patil was travelling to his hometown while Fadnavis was on an official tour.
