J&K delimitation row: CPI, Trinamool Congress leaders favour PDP, NC's stand

The delimitation commission's proposal to introduce six new assembly seats for Jammu and only one for Kashmir received a massive backlash from the local political leaders who have now found some support from their counterparts in mainland India as well.

New Delhi:The delimitation commission's proposal to introduce six new assembly seats for Jammu and only one for Kashmir received a massive backlash from the local political leaders who have now found some support from their counterparts in mainland India as well.

The Jammu and Kashmir-based regional parties have alleged that the delimitation panel was created to "serve BJP's political interests", and even called their proposal "unacceptable".

Speaking to ETV Bharat over the matter, the Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Binoy Viswam said, "We, the Communist Party of India, stand for the Opposition's unity. That unity should be against BJP's autocratic and fascist forces. We would not say anything which would go against the opposition's unity."

Similarly, Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen asserted, "When Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir, then only we had said that such decisions should be taken after consulting the masses. When we visited there, the local people were not happy about the decision of creating two Union Territories out of J&K."

"People want that it (J&K) should be made a state. They want a promotion, not a demotion. Whether it is about Article 370 or delimitation commission, the masses should be consulted before taking any decision," she added.

Last week, the recommendations of the delimitation commission carving out new assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir raised a political storm in Kashmir as political parties accused the commission of being biased.

The delimitation commission proposed six additional seats for Jammu region and only one for Kashmir Valley in its 'Paper 1' discussed with five associate members. Nine seats were proposed for STs and seven for SCs in Jammu and Kashmir.

The recommendations, however, kicked off a major controversy in Kashmir with former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti outrightly rejecting the recommendations.