HYDERABAD: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Friday alleged that AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi had influenced the Congress on a “hybrid formula” for delimitation, which was later supported in Parliament.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, he claimed that AIMIM, Congress and BRS were opposing delimitation and women’s reservation out of political interest. He also alleged that AIMIM had historically opposed reservations for women, citing remarks by Akbaruddin Owaisi that greater political participation by women could create “new problems”.
Kishan said the Union government, after consultations with political parties, intellectuals and experts, had brought forward amendments related to women’s reservation and delimitation with “noble intent and clarity”. He added that fears of seat reduction and a “North vs South divide” were being unnecessarily created.
He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had clarified in Parliament that no state would face injustice. He said that unlike earlier exercises, the Union government was working towards a balanced approach.
Referring to the proposed “50% seat increase formula”, he said it was intended to ensure southern states do not lose representation despite demographic changes, but opposition parties continued to oppose it without clear reasoning.
He questioned whether leaders including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and BRS leader KT Rama Rao were seeking increased seats only in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts at the cost of other regions.
Kishan also accused AIMIM of not promoting women’s political participation, alleging that Muslim women were not given adequate opportunities, and challenged opposition parties to an open debate on the proposed formula.