Halt delimitation exercise in Assam: Opposition

Leaders of about 11 opposition parties arrived in the capital on Friday to raise their objections to the Election Commission's ongoing process for delimitation of 14 Lok Sabha constituencies and 126 assembly seats of Assam.

Terming the exercise arbitrary and demanding its halting, these Assam leaders met some opposition leaders in Delhi and said they would submit a memorandum to the EC, besides staging a dharna.

While the delimitation exercise aims to redraw the borders of many Assam constituencies by retaining the same number of Lok Sabha and assembly seats, opposition leaders have been arguing that the proposal lacks a wider consensus and was designed to help the ruling BJP.

"The delimitation exercise in Assam needs wider acceptance and consensus within the political spectrum," Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said after the delegation of the Assam leaders met him.

After the CPI (M) brass interacted with the delegation and expressed its solidarity, the party polit bureau said in a statement, "Their (Assam opposition leaders') contention based on factual substantiation is that the due processes as ordained by the Constitution have been brazenly violated. Contrary to the claim of the BJP that the exercise is for enhancing the representation of the indigenous people of Assam, it is, in fact, clearly prompted to suit the electoral interests of the BJP. The main demand is to set aside the current exercise and restore the status quo ante."

The delegation comprised the representatives, including the leader of the opposition, of the Congress, Assam Jatiya Parishad, Jatiya Dal-U, Raijor Dal, RJD, CPI (M) and CPI.