Revanth Calls BJP’s Defeat A Red-Letter Day
CM credits Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge for blocking “black bills”
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday described the defeat of the Constitution 131st Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha as a “red-letter day in Indian history,” and termed the outcome a major victory for democratic forces. The Bill, which sought to enable women’s reservation and facilitate delimitation, fell short of the required two-thirds majority in the Lower House.
Soon after the voting, Revanth Reddy took to X to express his happiness, stating that the day would be remembered for averting what he called a “national disaster.” He credited the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for uniting Opposition parties and democratic forces to defeat the proposed legislation.
The Chief Minister also thanked leaders of various allied and regional parties who stood united against the Bill, for opposing what he termed “black bills.” He concluded his message with “Jai Hind.”
Revanth Reddy had opposed the BJP-led Union government’s move to introduce the constitutional amendment Bill proposing delimitation and a 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats on a pro-rata basis. He had also objected to linking 33 per cent women’s reservation with delimitation.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat on April 13, the Chief Minister had expressed anger at the Centre, alleging a “big conspiracy” behind the move. He claimed that the proposed delimitation exercise under the guise of women’s quota would weaken southern states politically while favouring northern states.
Though the number of seats would increase by 50 per cent across all states, he argued that the gap between northern and southern states would widen, potentially rendering southern states politically irrelevant, with northern states determining which party rules the country.
He alleged that the BJP, lacking a strong base in southern states, was attempting to consolidate power through this mechanism by relying on its strength in northern states. Revanth Reddy reiterated that the Congress fully supports 33 per cent reservation for women but opposes linking it with delimitation in a manner he described as biased.
Calling for a united stand, he urged southern states to fight the proposed delimitation and suggested a “hybrid model,” under which 50 per cent of the increased Lok Sabha seats would be allocated on a pro-rata basis and the remaining 50 per cent based on states’ Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), ensuring fairness to southern states that significantly contribute to the national economy.
On April 14, the Chief Minister had written to his counterparts in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, seeking their opposition to the Bill. He had also participated in a meeting of southern states convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin last year against delimitation based solely on population.
Ahead of tabling the Constitution amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Revanth Reddy camped in Delhi since Wednesday evening and held meetings with party leaders on galvanising support against the Bill. Revanth Reddy’s sustained opposition to the Bill culminated in its defeat in the Lok Sabha on Friday, a development he described as the result of a relentless and united struggle by Opposition parties.
