Delimitation may be less attractive for BJP now
The article discusses how shifting political demographics may make the BJP reconsider the strategic benefits of an early delimitation exercise. It explores the concept of gerrymandering and how the party previously used constituency redrawing to maximize its electoral advantage.
Why it matters
Delimitation exercises significantly impact the balance of power in Indian democracy, influencing how political parties target specific voter bases.
J antar Mantar and Bankipur, taken together, may make the prospect of an early delimitation exercise far less attractive for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) than it once appeared. For much of the last decade, the BJP had reasons to believe that it had assembled a durable social majority, with Hindus acting as a voting bloc across large parts of north and west India. If groups displayed stable voting preferences over long periods, then redrawing constituency boundaries could amplify existing advantages.
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