“They (government) are doing it for political mileage at a time when they don’t have a majority,” West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said. File photo: X/@AITCofficial ANI
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday (April 14, 2026) that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Union Government had introduced the Delimitation Bill with the intention of dividing West Bengal and India.Ms. Banerjee was speaking at an election rally at Domjur in Howrah. She said that the BJP is attempting a delimitation exercise without a full majority at the Centre; they require the support of two parties to stay in power.“They are tabling the delimitation bill to divide West Bengal and India at large. They are doing it for political mileage at a time when they don’t have a majority. They are in power owing to the support of two other parties. Those two parties are supporting them because they fear the ED and CBI,” Ms. Banerjee said.The Union Government has circulated three Bills that will pave the way for fresh delimitation based on the latest notified Census and raise the strength of the Lok Sabha from 545 at present to a potential 850 members. The Bills are also aimed at paving the way for one-third reservation for women in Parliament and State assemblies.NRC will followThe Trinamool Congress chairperson said that delimitation will be followed by NRC, which means even more names will be deleted and subsequently these people will be sent to detention camps.“The people of Bengal will be driven out, and you will bring people from outside and make them vote for you. Is that the plan? They have selectively deleted voters. Over 60 lakh Hindus, and 30 lakh Muslim names have been deleted,” Ms. Banerjee said referring to the deletion of 91 lakh names during the Special Intensive Revision in the State.On April 12, the Chief Minister had said that the BJP led government wants to carry out a delimitation exercise to trifurcate Bengal and change the demographic and geographical composition of the land. “Using delimitation, they might merge some districts of Bengal with Bihar and Odisha. Our people will be put through even more suffering. Our government will not allow the formation of detention camps,” Ms. Banerjee had said during a public rally for the upcoming Assembly elections at Chhatna in Bankura. Published - April 14, 2026 10:58 pm IST
