Chief Ministers of both the Telugu states today received a severe setback as the union government has categorically refuted scope to increase number of assembly seats in two states. Both of them are waiting that the centre would bring a bill during ongoing Parliament session facilitating increase in assembly seats.

But shockingly, union minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram today in a written reply to TDP member TG Venkatesh in Rajya Sabha categorically stated that it will not be possible to take up this issue at this juncture. As this involves an amendment to Article 371, the minister said it would be a long process.

The AP Reorganisation Act proposes to increase the number of Assembly seats in Telangana to 153 from present 119, and to 225 from present 175 in AP. However, from the beginning, Narendra Modi government expressing its helplessness to increase seats as the Act is subject to the provisions of Article 170 of the Constitution, which says delimitation of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats can be taken up only after 2026.

However, Chief Ministers K. Chandrasekhar Rao and N. Chandrababu Naidu had earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh and written letters requesting them to implement the assurance given in the Reorganisation Act through a resolution by the parliament.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu taking initiative arranged a meeting of higher officials of the home, law and legislation ministries with Rajnath Singh in last March, where it was decided to bring an amendment to the AP Reorganisation Act, for this purpose.

Hoping increase in number of assembly seats by 2019 polls, these two chief ministers encouraged several opposition members to `defect’ into their party and assured their agitating party leaders their joining will not dislocate them.