Parties being broken to push delimitation: Jayant Patil

NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Monday alleged that attempts were being made to split political parties so that the BJP-led Union Government had enough support for the proposed delimitation exercise.

“The Government wants to get this (delimitation bill) passed at any cost. That is why every party is being broken and manipulated, and efforts are being made to gather as many MPs as possible,” Patil told reporters when asked about the merger of rebel MPs of the Trinamool Congress into the Tripura-based Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

Questioning the need to increase the number of elected representatives through delimitation, Patil said legislators often did not get an opportunity to speak even with the present strength of legislatures.

“If the number rises, where will they be able to speak? Merely increasing the numbers will not solve the problems of Maharashtra and the country,” the NCP (SP) leader said.

Efficient administration was key to better governance rather than the number of legislators, the former Maharashtra minister added. On concerns over possible defections, Patil said every party faced the risk of splits due to pressures of different kinds.

Commenting on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s suggestion that parties which broke away from the Congress in the past should merge into the Grand Old Party to face the BJP’s challenge, Patil said no such discussion was taking place within the NCP (SP). 

Asked about calls from some INDIA bloc leaders to project a prime ministerial face, Patil said his party had not yet discussed the matter.

He also expressed concern over the possibility of a drought due to the El Niño phenomenon, especially in Maharashtra, and said the government should begin preparations while taking all stakeholders into confidence.