11 opposition parties from Assam demands poll panel to stop delimitation exercise in state

New Delhi, July 8 (FN Agency) Leaders of 11 Opposition parties from Assam under the ‘United Opposition Forum’ (UPF) on Saturday demanded to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to immediately stop the ongoing delimitation exercise in the Northeastern state by expressing their strong objections to the draft published by the poll panel in this regard recently. Addressing a press conference at the Press Club of India, UPF president Bhupen Kumar Borah while referring to the delimitation exercise in Assam, said, “We are opposing the entire process of delimitation. We demand the ECI to immediately stop delimitation.” “We had already met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge ji and many leaders of national parties in Delhi. Our president has already apprised Congress’ Deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, and in the upcoming meeting of Opposition in Bengaluru, he will represent us and raise this issue,” said Borah, who is also the president of Congress state unit.

The leaders of the Opposition met Kharge at his residence here on Thursday night and handed him a representation in this regard. Echoing similar sentiment, Gogoi said, “Yesterday, the Election Commission refused to meet the leaders of 11 political parties from Assam who sought time to apprise it about the delimitation exercise in the state. EC has become a ‘puppet’ of BJP.” In response to a query by UNI, the MP said, “The UPF delegation met leaders of other parties and they assured they will extend their support in this issue (delimitation)in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.” “We are against the draft proposal of delimitation,” said Leader of Opposition in Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia. Raijor Dal chief and MLA Akhil Gogoi said, ‘’The draft proposal of delimitation is unconstitutional’’. “The delimitation is being done by the BJP to save its vote bank. So, we oppose it,” said Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi. Independent Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan while referring to the delimitation draft published by the poll panel, said, “Nobody was taken into confidence.” Last month, the Election Commission of India published the draft proposal for delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies for Assam as provided for in Section 8-A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.