Senior Congress Leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday claimed that Opposition unity had “defeated” what she described as a “conspiracy” by the Centre following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. The Bill, which proposed 33% reservation for women in Parliament, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority, triggering a sharp political exchange between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc.

Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee office in New Delhi, Priyanka Gandhi said the outcome of the vote was a “victory for democracy” and for Opposition unity. She alleged that the government’s intent behind the legislation was to alter the federal structure and strengthen its political position rather than purely advance women’s reservation.

The Bill, which also included provisions linked to expansion of Lok Sabha seats, reportedly received 278 votes in favour and 211 against, falling short of the constitutional threshold required for passage. Its defeat effectively halted associated proposals that were not taken up for voting.

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Priyanka Gandhi further alleged that the government’s handling of the Bill indicated an attempt to use women’s reservation as a political tool. She said the Opposition was surprised by the timing of the Special Session of Parliament, which coincided with ongoing state election activities, and suggested that the legislation was introduced with electoral considerations in mind.

She also criticised remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during the parliamentary debate, claiming they implied that political success depended on supporting the Bill. According to her, this reflected the government’s broader strategy of framing dissent as opposition to women’s empowerment.

Raising broader social concerns, the Congress leader cited issues faced by women across India, including safety concerns, inflation, and employment challenges. She argued that women are directly impacted by rising living costs and should not be used for what she termed political messaging or image-building.

Priyanka Gandhi also called for the government to reintroduce an earlier version of the women’s reservation proposal that had reportedly received wider political support in 2023, stating that necessary amendments could be made to ensure consensus. She emphasised that the Opposition was ready to support meaningful reforms if brought forward transparently.

Concluding her remarks, she said the developments reflected growing public awareness and distrust of political narratives, asserting that women voters were increasingly evaluating policies based on substance rather than rhetoric.

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