Assam delimitation issue: Trinamool MP Sushmita Dev to sit on hunger strike

Guwahati: Expressing displeasure over the ongoing delimitation exercise of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Assam, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev would sit on a hunger strike on Monday in Silchar.

Speaking to IANS, she said: "I believe that the formula used by the Election Commission (EC) to carry out the delimitation in Assam is wrong. They have decreased seats in areas which have a higher population and instead some seats were added in the draft proposal where the population is lower."

According to Dev, this raises questions about the accuracy of the methodology used by the EC to publish the draft delimitation proposal.

The Trinamool leader represents the Barak Valley region in Assam where two seats have been proposed to chop off two assembly seats there, which has already irked the local leaders.

Dev said: "Himanta Biswa Sarma is more than just the party's Chief Minister. Since the Barak Valley is a part of Assam, Sarma must represent its residents and inform the EC in writing that the valley's residents strongly oppose the reduction in the number of seats.

"I will be participating in a hunger strike on Monday from dawn till sunset to oppose that, and I implore the Chief Minister to inform the EC in writing of the frustrations of the valley's residents regarding the sudden loss of seats here," she added.

The Trinamool Congress has also started a mass signature campaign against the draft delimitation published by the EC.