All is not looking well in the opposition alliance ‘India’. A report in *India Today* has quoted sources as saying that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP may support the Narendra Modi government’s delimitation bill during the upcoming monsoon session. If this happens, it will be a big blow to the opposition alliance, because in the last parliamentary session all the opposition parties had unitedly opposed this bill. Speculations have intensified after the news that senior leaders of both factions of NCP held a secret meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis late at night. As a result, there is much speculation about the possible reunion of the two factions and their support to the NDA at the Centre.
**Supriya Sule’s stance**
Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction’s MP Supriya Sule has clarified the party’s stand on this political development. Addressing a press conference, Sule said the party’s final decision would depend on the final draft of the bill. “If the government makes a provision for 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats in all states and prepares a clear roadmap for its implementation, we will support it,” he said.
Supriya Sule’s stance is in line with the assurance given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Lok Sabha debate in April. Shah had then said that the government was ready to amend the bill to ensure a uniform 50% increase in seats so that no state is left out.
**Increasing concern for Congress**
This possible stand of Sharad Pawar has created a stir in the Congress camp. Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, in a post on social media platform Chidambaram has appealed to both regional parties not to support the law. They argue that delimitation based on the existing formula will harm states that have successfully controlled their population as per the National Population Policy.
Meanwhile, regarding her meeting with Chief Minister Fadnavis, Supriya Sule clarified that Jayant Patil had officially met the Chief Minister regarding the action taken against the Municipal Council Chairman, and there was nothing secret in it. It is noteworthy that the Central Government had introduced ‘Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026’ with the aim of increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to 850 and implementing reservation for women. During the voting held on April 17, this bill could not achieve the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. Now the government is preparing to present it again in the monsoon session of Parliament starting from July 20.
