Sharad Pawar's NCP may back NDA's delimitation bill, breaking ranks with Opposition
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP is likely to back the NDA's Delimitation Bill if it guarantees a uniform 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats across all states, a move that could see the party break ranks with the Opposition.
Sharad Pawar, often described as Maharashtra’s “wily old fox”, appears to have made his next political move. Sources have told India Today TV that the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar is set to back the Narendra Modi government’s contentious bill to conduct the next delimitation exercise. If confirmed, the move would mark a break from the Opposition’s united stand after parties voted together against the bill during the last Parliament session.
Today’s information comes hours after India Today TV learnt that senior leaders from both factions of the NCP -- the other being the one led by Sunetra Pawar, wife of Sharad Pawar’s late nephew Ajit Pawar -- held secretive, late-night meetings with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The latest development has renewed speculation of the NCP reuniting and lending support to the NDA at the Centre in some form.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule refused to confirm the speculation but indicated that the faction’s stand on the bill would depend on its final shape and form.
"If the government provides for a 50 per cent increase in seats across all states and clearly outlines its implementation, we will support it," Sule told reporters.
The condition echoes the party's earlier position and aligns with an assurance given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in April, when he said the government was willing to amend the bill to provide for a uniform 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats across all states and ensure that no state was disadvantaged by the delimitation exercise.
"If the reason to oppose this bill is that there should be a 50 per cent increase, then halt the proceedings for an hour, and I will bring an official amendment to this bill," Shah had said during the debate in the Lok Sabha.
“After a 50% increase, their seats will rise to 195, which will be 23.87% of 816 seats. No one will be at a loss,” Shah had argued, however, the proposed amendment was never incorporated into the final text.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduced to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha to 850 seats and operationalise women's reservation, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17.
Furthermore, Sule also dismissed speculation over Jayant Patil's late-night meeting with CM Fadnavis and said, "Jayant Patil went regarding work in his constituency after the suspension of the Zilla Parishad president in Ishwarpur. His meeting was official. As for what happened at Varsha, you will have to ask the Chief Minister."
The political discussion gathered momentum after senior Congress leader P Chidambaram claimed on Tuesday that the BJP was attempting to secure the support of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the DMK for the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
In a post on X, Chidambaram urged the two regional parties not to support the legislation, arguing that delimitation under the existing formula would unfairly disadvantage states that had successfully controlled population growth in line with the National Population Policy.
The government is expected to introduce the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill during the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 20.
Sharad Pawar, often described as Maharashtra’s “wily old fox”, appears to have made his next political move. Sources have told India Today TV that the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar is set to back the Narendra Modi government’s contentious bill to conduct the next delimitation exercise. If confirmed, the move would mark a break from the Opposition’s united stand after parties voted together against the bill during the last Parliament session.
Today’s information comes hours after India Today TV learnt that senior leaders from both factions of the NCP -- the other being the one led by Sunetra Pawar, wife of Sharad Pawar’s late nephew Ajit Pawar -- held secretive, late-night meetings with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The latest development has renewed speculation of the NCP reuniting and lending support to the NDA at the Centre in some form.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule refused to confirm the speculation but indicated that the faction’s stand on the bill would depend on its final shape and form.
"If the government provides for a 50 per cent increase in seats across all states and clearly outlines its implementation, we will support it," Sule told reporters.
The condition echoes the party's earlier position and aligns with an assurance given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in April, when he said the government was willing to amend the bill to provide for a uniform 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats across all states and ensure that no state was disadvantaged by the delimitation exercise.
"If the reason to oppose this bill is that there should be a 50 per cent increase, then halt the proceedings for an hour, and I will bring an official amendment to this bill," Shah had said during the debate in the Lok Sabha.
“After a 50% increase, their seats will rise to 195, which will be 23.87% of 816 seats. No one will be at a loss,” Shah had argued, however, the proposed amendment was never incorporated into the final text.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduced to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha to 850 seats and operationalise women's reservation, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17.
Furthermore, Sule also dismissed speculation over Jayant Patil's late-night meeting with CM Fadnavis and said, "Jayant Patil went regarding work in his constituency after the suspension of the Zilla Parishad president in Ishwarpur. His meeting was official. As for what happened at Varsha, you will have to ask the Chief Minister."
The political discussion gathered momentum after senior Congress leader P Chidambaram claimed on Tuesday that the BJP was attempting to secure the support of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the DMK for the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
In a post on X, Chidambaram urged the two regional parties not to support the legislation, arguing that delimitation under the existing formula would unfairly disadvantage states that had successfully controlled population growth in line with the National Population Policy.
The government is expected to introduce the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill during the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 20.
