Delimitation will erase Darj, Cooch Behar, N Dinajpur: Didi

Kolkata: Darjeeling, Siliguri, Cooch Behar and North Dinajpur will cease to exist if the delimitation bill is passed, CM Mamata Banerjee said on Friday, slamming the BJP-led govt's move as a "deliberate attempt at dividing the country".

"They tabled the delimitation bill. Women's reservation is a false front, as I support it independently. We will support the women's reservation bill when it is not coupled with the delimitation bill. I have sent 21 MPs to Lok Sabha. They (BJP) know they will get defeated if the contest happens in 543 seats. So, they are trying to increase the number of seats to 850," Banerjee said at an election rally in Cooch Behar in the morning, stressing that Trinamool will oppose all attempts to introduce the delimitation bill through a simple majority.


The Bengal CM's words came true by evening after the bill to amend the women's reservation bill fell short of the mark in Lok Sabha. The Centre needed a two-thirds majority to get the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, passed. After TMC and opposition parties voted against it, the proposed legislation saw 298 MPs voting in its favour and 230 voting against.

"A Constitution amendment bill can't be passed without two-thirds majority. They are doing all sorts of illegal things. How can the women's reservation bill be attached to the delimitation bill? We already have 37% women representation in Parliament, in municipalities and panchayats," Banerjee added.

BJP knew "they would lose in the future", Banerjee said, lashing out at the saffron party for "demolishing and murdering our democracy". "Do you have the guts to give tickets to women in your party and make them win?" she challenged.

Banerjee also launched a sharp attack on Assam CM Himanta Sarma hours after he addressed a rally in north Bengal. "Some anti-Bengal forces held a meeting here. I have heard that the Assam CM will bring in people from his state to cast votes in Cooch Behar with the help of central forces. How shameful it is that those who send NRC notices from Assam to the people of Cooch Behar are coming here to seek votes," she said.

Banerjee also hit out at PM Narendra Modi for "parroting the party line" without checking. "Modi said no development has happened in north Bengal. We have spent Rs 1.7 lakh crore there. The North Bengal Development Department is a small department and its funds are insufficient to build the Joyee Bridge, universities, colleges and heritage town. Try to cross-check facts before you say something," she claimed.

Saying that the "goons of CPM are now in BJP", Banerjee said "BJP is harassing us more than what CPM used to do". "In Assam, they brought in outsiders. In Bihar, they did the same thing. Here too, they bring in outsiders to fill their programmes," she alleged.

The CM insisted that she has "no greed for a particular chair". "But I will surely avenge BJP's atrocities on the people of Bengal. I would humbly request all central agencies to work impartially."Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.