Kohima, April 21: Nagaland Lok Sabha MP and state Congress president S Supongmeren Jamir on Tuesday alleged that the BJP-led central government was using the women’s reservation issue to advance a “hidden delimitation agenda” ahead of the 2029 parliamentary elections. Speaking at a press conference at Congress Bhavan, Jamir said the opposition INDIA bloc had opposed the move in Parliament because the government had linked women’s reservation with delimitation despite constitutional and procedural constraints tied to census and constituency readjustment.

Jamir referred to the 106th Constitutional Amendment enacted in 2023, noting that provisions under Articles 239AA, 330A and 332A already provide a framework for women’s reservation. He accused the government of attempting to use the issue to push delimitation in a way that could increase Lok Sabha seats from 816 to 850, allegedly to benefit the BJP. He pointed out that the amendment itself ties implementation to the first census after 2026, making immediate delimitation impractical.

He further claimed that the government knowingly brought the matter despite lacking the two-thirds majority required for constitutional changes, describing it as a political trap for the opposition. Jamir said the INDIA bloc had made it clear that if the government was serious, it should bring a bill to ensure implementation of women’s reservation by the 2029 elections, and vowed to press the demand during the monsoon session.

Countering allegations from Nagaland BJP leaders that Congress opposed women’s reservation, Jamir argued that it was the BJP that was delaying implementation while using the issue for political mileage in states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. He questioned the BJP’s commitment to women’s empowerment, asking whether the party was prepared to support women for top constitutional positions such as Prime Minister or Speaker.

Jamir also raised concerns about the impact of delimitation and reservation on smaller states, including Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Assam, where negotiated political settlements and seat arrangements could be affected. He stressed that while women’s reservation is already in place in urban local bodies, Nagaland women must also receive fair representation in higher legislative institutions, including the Lok Sabha.

Appealing to all parties not to politicise the issue, Jamir urged collective action in the state’s interest. NPCC leaders reiterated that women’s reservation should not be tied to political strategy or delimitation calculations, and demanded immediate steps to ensure 33 per cent reservation by the 2029 parliamentary elections.