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GUWAHATI — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday asserted that there was no problem in the delimitation exercise of constituencies in the state, the draft proposal for which was published last week.
He maintained that opposition to the draft proposal came only from those who don't understand the process or are staring at electoral defeat.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]"We are a secular nation where constituencies are determined by keeping everyone's well-being in mind. Reservation is done based on population figure of a specific community," he said, talking to reporters on sidelines of a programme here.
He said "there has been no problem" with the exercise of redrawing assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam.
"Only certain people who are staring at imminent electoral defeat are making noise against it," Sarma asserted.
Refuting claims that communities such as Rabhas, Morans, Mottocks and Ahoms are unhappy with the draft, the CM said,
"They all are rejoicing, in fact. I had been to Lakhimpur and Dhemaji (with sizeable tribal population) and I didn't hear anything. I am the chief minister, I would have heard had there been anything."
He also pointed out that delimitation is done on the basis of population, and those opposing the draft have "no knowledge of the law or Constitution".
In the draft delimitation document released on June 20, the Election Commission has proposed to retain the number of assembly seats in Assam at 126 and the Lok Sabha constituencies at 14.
The commission has also planned to alter the geographical boundaries of most of the constituencies, both assembly and the Lok Sabha, while eliminating some seats and creating a few new ones.
This led to protests in the state by opposition parties as well as allies of the ruling BJP-led coalition government.
Terming the draft delimitation proposal an attempt by the BJP to polarise voters on religious lines disregarding the sentiment of people, opposition parties have decided to present the "grievances" of citizens before the EC.