Congress to launch nationwide protests on Nov 26 against delimitation, says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

November 26 is observed as Constitution Day.

He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to use the upcoming delimitation exercise to redraw parliamentary boundaries and alter India's secular constitutional framework while sidelining minority votes.

"Congress to launch nationwide protests on November 26 to defend democracy and the Constitution! There are serious concerns that delimitation and an increase in parliamentary seats could be used to secure an overwhelming majority and alter India's secular constitutional framework and historical legacy," Chowdhury posted on X.

"Allegations have also emerged of attempts to secure the support of MPs from other parties through financial inducements. The people of India must remain vigilant to safeguard our democracy and Constitution," he added.

Chowdhury shared a video clip of a press briefing, where he lashed out at the ruling party for trying to pass the delimitation bill.

"Look, this is not an agenda of today for the BJP party. They have been trying this for a long time. The reason is that the people of India do not want this. Especially every state in South India will definitely oppose it," Chowdhury said in the video.

The Congress leader alleged that the core objective behind redrawing boundaries is electoral engineering.

"By passing this bill, they want to fulfil the BJP party's agenda--an agenda whose core premise is: 'In the coming days, we will win with a two-thirds majority, and across all of India, boundaries [delimitation] will be drawn in such a manner that the BJP party believes Muslim votes will not be needed at all.' And by virtue of that, they intend to come to power single-handedly with a majority and change the Constitution," Chowdhury claimed.

He asserted that altering foundational principles such as secularism amounts to dismantling the Constitution itself.

"Changing the Constitution might not be spoken aloud openly, but altering the foundational values of the Constitution itself amounts to changing the Constitution. The core of those values is secularism. In the government's conduct, in every single step taken by the government, we can clearly see this: dismantling secularism, altering history, and distorting history," Chowdhury remarked.

Chowdhury further alleged that the BJP realises it cannot achieve a majority on its own under the existing political climate, which is why it wants to diminish its dependence on allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

"Therefore: alter the boundaries, carve out borders, redrawing boundaries to suit themselves around Hindu-dominated areas where the BJP knows it will secure votes. It is by calculating this very formula in their heads that this entire game is being played. They are doing this so that they will no longer need the JDU in Bihar, nor the Telugu Desam in Andhra, and can capture power entirely on their own with a two-thirds majority," he said.

Levelling serious charges of political horse-trading, Chowdhury claimed attempts were underway to poach opposition lawmakers through financial inducements.

"And in playing that game, they are co-opting MPs from other parties--they have roped in 20 MPs from the Trinamool Congress, offering them numerous kickbacks and bribes. The MP from here in Baharampur was handed 22 crore rupees--whether it's 22 crore or 44 crore, I don't know--assets worth crores of rupees have been given as gifts," Chowdhury alleged.

Comparing India's parliamentary democracy with the United Kingdom and the United States, Chowdhury questioned the rationale behind dramatically expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha.

"In this West Bengal, in this India, right now there are 543 MPs. That is why everyone gets an opportunity to speak. But now they are talking about creating over 800 MPs. Who will listen to anyone then? Britain--the cradle of democracy. America--the cradle of democracy. Yet, no one there ever thought of increasing seats by redrawing boundaries in this manner. Here, it is being contemplated for only one reason: the intention is malicious," he said.

Calling upon citizens to remain alert, Chowdhury concluded, "People of India, be vigilant. Be alert, citizens of India! In the days ahead, to safeguard your democracy, the Constitution must be protected. Therefore, on the coming 26th of November, across the country, Congress is launching a protest movement with a call to protect the Constitution."

His remarks come amid the ongoing political debate over the Centres efforts to secure the passage of a Constitution Amendment Bill linking the implementation of womens reservation to the proposed delimitation exercise.

The proposed Delimitation Bill aims to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 850. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, maintains that delimitation is a constitutional necessity to reflect new census data and facilitate the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha.

However, the opposition INDIA bloc, led by the Congress, has demanded the immediate implementation of 33 per cent women's reservation in the existing 543-member Lok Sabha and opposed linking it to the delimitation exercise.

Earlier in August, the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which began on July 20, was adjourned sine die after 19 sittings spread over 25 days. During the session, 12 Bills were passed, but only one, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was debated in the House.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 16 to expand the strength of the Lower House to 850 seats and expedite the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill passed in 2023.

However, the Bill failed to secure the constitutionally required special two-thirds majority of members present and voting in Parliament and was consequently not passed. (ANI)