NewsGate Press Network

Congress has now publicly protested against the ruling BJP government for hastily extending current budget session apparently  to gain political advantage ahead of important state elections without talking opposition into confidence.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh while addressing a presser on Friday the 3rd of April 2026 said the government had ignored repeated requests from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for an all-party meeting, despite formal correspondence with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

He described the decision to proceed unilaterally as a “gross violation” of the Model Code of Conduct, particularly with elections imminent in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Thursday and are scheduled to reconvene on April 16. It was reported that the ongoing Budget session, which began on January 28, was originally set to be adjourned sine die on April 2.

Criticizing the government’s decision, Ramesh remarked that the move raised “serious questions about transparency and intent,” particularly since the agenda had been expanded to include controversial matters like delimitation without prior consultation.

“As you all know, the government has announced a special session on April 16, 17 and 18,” Ramesh said.

“On March 16, Mr Rijiju wrote to Mr Kharge stating that the government wished to discuss amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Mr Kharge responded that such discussions must take place in an all-party meeting. That request has been ignored.”

He further alleged that the Centre had remained inactive for nearly two and a half years after passing the women’s reservation legislation, formally known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, only to revive it now for political mileage. “The government kept sleeping for 30 months and is now attempting to take double credit during the election season,” he said.

Raising concerns over delimitation, Ramesh noted that no formal proposal had been shared with Opposition parties.

However, he claimed that informal indications suggested a significant increase in Lok Sabha seats. “We have heard there may be a proportionate rise in seats, but in reality smaller states and those in the South, Northeast and West could suffer massively,” he warned.

Citing possible scenarios, he suggested that states such as Uttar Pradesh could see a sharp rise in representation, while others, including Kerala, might gain little. “What we have heard unofficially would be very dangerous for many states,” he said.

Ramesh also questioned the timing of the session, arguing that it coincided deliberately with election campaigning. “The only objective is to grab political mileage to influence polls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Could this not have been scheduled after a fortnight?” he asked.

He accused the government of prioritizing “narrative management” over substantive policy-making. “This government functions on optics. They are losing the political and foreign policy narrative and want to reclaim it through a special session,” he said.