Punjab Congress to discuss delimitation concerns on March 13

CHANDIGARH: Amid rising opposition to the proposed delimitation exercise, Punjab Congress will deliberate on the issue in detail at its political affairs meeting scheduled for March 13 in Delhi. The party is also set to chalk out an action plan to counter what it terms an “ill-advised” move. The meeting, chaired by Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, will be attended by senior state leaders.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, who will raise the issue at the meeting, expressed concerns that if the exercise is conducted solely based on population, it could significantly diminish Punjab’s political representation in Parliament. As the only Sikh-majority state in the country, a reduction in its parliamentary strength could have serious long-term consequences, he warned.

Bajwa pointed out that while the total number of Lok Sabha seats is expected to rise from 543 to approximately 848 after delimitation, Punjab’s parliamentary seats would increase only marginally from 13 to around 18. “The parliamentary representation of Punjab will be reduced percentage-wise, further marginalising the state. This would cause irreversible damage to Punjab’s political landscape. If Punjab loses its voice in Parliament, it will not be able to effectively defend its political and economic interests,” Bajwa stated.

He called on leaders from all political parties in Punjab to come together and thoroughly analyse the implications of the proposed delimitation. “If needed, we must strongly oppose this move collectively,” he added.

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