Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of attempting to secure a two-thirds majority for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha by all means ahead of the forthcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, alleging that the ruling establishment was seeking to weaken Opposition parties to achieve its political objectives.
In a strongly-worded post on social media platform X, Ramesh claimed that the BJP strongman was engineering the numbers required for constitutional changes after suffering a major parliamentary setback earlier this year. Referring to Shah as a “self-styled Chanakya,” the Congress leader said the Home Minister was “humiliated” on April 17, 2026, when the NDA failed to secure the two-thirds majority constitutionally mandated to pass a Constitution Amendment Bill linked to delimitation.
According to Ramesh, the proposed legislation was defeated by a convincing margin in the Lok Sabha, marking a significant victory for the Opposition. He alleged that the setback prompted fresh attempts by the ruling camp to expand its strength in Parliament before the next session.
“Never before has anybody tried to engineer a two-third majority for his party in the Lok Sabha as the Union Home Minister is desperately doing these days in the run-up to the Monsoon Session of Parliament,” Ramesh said.
The Congress general secretary in charge of communications further accused Shah of encouraging defections and political realignments to compensate for the NDA’s inability to push through the constitutional amendment. “Stung by that resounding defeat, he is now busy breaking Opposition parties and making a complete mockery of democracy,” he alleged.
Striking a defiant tone, the Congress leader asserted that Opposition parties would continue to resist what he described as attempts to undermine democratic institutions and parliamentary norms.
“The fight is on. His evil designs must not and will not succeed,” he said.
Ramesh’s remarks came amid escalating political tensions ahead of the Monsoon Session, with Opposition parties repeatedly accusing the BJP of using defections and political manoeuvring to consolidate its parliamentary position. The BJP has consistently rejected such charges, maintaining that leaders join the party voluntarily because of its governance record and ideological appeal.
The Congress party and its allies have also expressed concerns over delimitation-related proposals, arguing that any move affecting parliamentary representation should emerge from broad national consensus and respect the federal balance. The ruling party, meanwhile, has maintained that any electoral or constitutional reforms would be pursued strictly within the framework of established constitutional procedures.
The latest exchange reflects the intensifying confrontation between the ruling alliance and the Opposition as Parliament prepares for what is expected to be a politically charged Monsoon Session.