Palla Srinivasa Rao Lambasts Congress-led Opposition for Obstructing Gender Justice and Southern Interests; Hails PM’s Visionary Reform*

AMARAVATI:* Palla Srinivasa Rao, State President of the Telugu Desam Party and Gajuwaka MLA, on Friday delivered a strong critique of the Indian National Congress and its allies, accusing them of obstructing transformative reforms aimed at advancing gender justice and safeguarding the federal balance.

 Srinivasa Rao termed the Opposition’s resistance to the Women’s Reservation and Reorganisation Amendment Bills as a “historic betrayal of women” and “a deliberate attempt to weaken the political voice of southern India.”

*The Interdependence of Reform: A Structural Approach*

 Srinivasa Rao emphasised that the 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the proposed 50% increase in parliamentary seats must be viewed as a single, integrated reform.

> “For decades, India’s legislative institutions have been structurally male-dominated. This reform is not symbolic—it is corrective,” . Srinivasa Rao stated.

“By expanding seats alongside reservation, the government avoids redistribution conflicts and instead expands democratic representation in a meaningful way.”

*Population Discipline and the Southern Paradox*

 Srinivasa Rao made a pointed observation on the demographic realities of southern India, highlighting a consistent decline in population growth rates across southern States.

> “Southern States are witnessing a steady decline in population growth—not by accident, but by design,”  Srinivasa Rao said.

“This is the outcome of decades of strict population control policies, higher literacy, and better public health systems.”

He warned that any delimitation exercise based purely on population would penalise success and reward demographic imbalance.

> “States that have responsibly controlled population growth should not be politically disadvantaged for their efficiency. That would be a perverse incentive structure,” he added.

*Delimitation Framework Protects the South*

Srinivasa Rao described the proposal for a uniform 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats across all States as a necessary corrective mechanism.

> “This framework ensures that southern States do not lose their parliamentary weight due to lower population growth,” Srinivasa Rao explained.

“It protects federal equity while enabling the expansion required to accommodate women’s reservation.”

He asserted that the Opposition’s resistance exposes a lack of clarity and long-term vision on federal balance.

*TDP’s Proven Commitment to Women’s Empowerment*

Reiterating the party’s track record, . Srinivasa Rao stated that the Telugu Desam Party was the first political party in India to implement 33% reservation for women in local body elections, under the leadership of N. Chandrababu Naidu.

> “While others debated, TDP delivered. Women’s political empowerment is not new to us—it is part of our governance DNA,” . Srinivasa Rao said.

“The Congress’s present stance is inconsistent with its historical inaction.”

*A Political and Moral Test*

Concluding, . Srinivasa Rao stated that the Opposition has “once again chosen political obstruction over structural reform.”

The Telugu Desam Party reiterated its firm support for the reform agenda led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and affirmed that it would take this issue directly to the people, exposing what it termed an “anti-women and anti-South position.”

                  K.V.SHARMA. EDITOR