Rahul Gandhi pushes for all-party meeting in 50-minute call with Rijiju; Centre responds

The Centre has initiated talks with the Congress over the proposed Delimitation Bill, with Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju holding a nearly 50-minute telephonic conversation with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, government sources told News18.

The outreach comes as the government looks to build wider political consensus ahead of introducing the legislation in Parliament.

According to the sources, the discussion focused on building political consensus around the proposed legislation, with the government reaching out to the Congress as the principal Opposition party.

During the conversation, Rahul Gandhi suggested that the Centre convene an all-party meeting on the proposed Delimitation Bill. However, the government conveyed that it had already consulted other political parties, the sources said.

Rahul Gandhi later told the government that he would first discuss the issue with other Opposition parties before communicating the Congress' position on the proposed Bill, according to the sources.

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Government sources also noted that there was "no deadlock" over the legislation and maintained that the Centre was confident of securing the required numbers in Parliament. They said the outreach was aimed at taking the Opposition into confidence before introducing the Bill.

"The Congress is the principal Opposition party, so the government is reaching out," the sources said.

According to the report, Rahul Gandhi also reiterated his demand that Union Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement in Parliament.

The outreach comes amid continued disruptions during the Monsoon Session, where the Opposition has been demanding statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah on issues including the police action during the July 20 CJP-led protests and the alleged embezzlement of Ram Mandir donation funds.

Earlier, sources had said Rahul Gandhi urged the government to broaden consultations on the Delimitation Bill. He reportedly suggested that the draft legislation, including the proposed 50 percent increase in Lok Sabha seats, be circulated among all political parties and called for an all-party meeting before the Bill is introduced.

The discussions also took place as parliamentary proceedings continue to be affected by repeated adjournments, with the Opposition and the government remaining at loggerheads over several issues.