The saffron party is targeting the DMK, SP and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) to cross the 360-seat mark, aiming for major constitutional changes including women's reservation and delimitation.

The BJP leadership has quietly accelerated its 'Mission 360' strategy — a push to secure a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha that would allow the government to push through key constitutional reforms. The move comes after the party faced a setback on April 17 over legislation related to women's reservation and delimitation.

The target, according to sources, is to achieve the numbers before the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The NDA's strength is now reportedly at 319 MPs, following claims that 20 Trinamool Congress MPs and six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs have shifted their support. But that still leaves the alliance 41 MPs short of the 360-member two-thirds majority, based on the current effective strength of the House.

Who the BJP Is Targeting

The party is now focusing on three key opposition groups — the Samajwadi Party (37 MPs), the DMK (22 MPs), and the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP (8 MPs). A senior BJP leader from Maharashtra reportedly claimed that, apart from Supriya Sule, most NCP (Sharad) MPs are supportive of the NDA.

Government sources, however, maintain that they are engaging with all political parties on legislative issues.

Two Possible Strategies

According to the report, the BJP is exploring multiple political options to build the required numbers:

Option 1: Add 41 more MPs — Secure support through defections, mergers, or outside backing from opposition MPs to reach the two-thirds majority.

Option 2: Reduce effective House strength — If enough opposition MPs remain absent during voting, the effective strength of the Lok Sabha would decline, reducing the two-thirds threshold. The BJP is reportedly looking at MPs from the SP, DMK, NCP (Sharad), TMC, along with independents and smaller parties. If required, some Congress MPs could also be absent during crucial votes.

What Mission 360 Aims to Achieve

The strategy is built around four major constitutional objectives:

Delimitation: Increase Lok Sabha seats by around 50% across states, potentially expanding the House to nearly 850 seats.

Women's Reservation: Implement one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies after delimitation, beginning with the 2029 elections.

One Nation, One Election: Enable simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections through constitutional amendments.

Judicial and Constitutional Reforms: Pursue broader reforms, including the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and other measures requiring constitutional amendments.

Former Rajya Sabha Secretary-General Vivek Agnihotri said constitutional amendments for measures such as women's reservation, delimitation, and one nation, one election require a two-thirds majority in Parliament. He noted that the Constitution envisages delimitation after 2026, and if it is postponed again, another constitutional amendment would be needed.

Supreme Court lawyer Virag Gupta said women's reservation could provide a politically acceptable framework for expanding the number of Lok Sabha seats through delimitation while facilitating broader constitutional reforms.

The government has not officially confirmed the strategy, but political observers say the BJP's moves in recent weeks suggest a coordinated effort to consolidate numbers before the monsoon session begins.

Oppn Vows to Defeat Women’s Bill; Rahul Gandhi Points to ‘Number 16’

PM urges MPs to vote for ‘women in your own families’ as debate heats up

The Lok Sabha witnessed fierce confrontation on Friday as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi declared that the Opposition will defeat the women’s reservation amendment Bill, terming it a “shameful law” designed to redraw India’s electoral map rather than empower women.

Referring to a cryptic riddle involving the date April 16, Gandhi told the House that “16 is the number” and the complete answer to the puzzle. While he refused to elaborate further, Congress sources indicated the reference ties to the government’s alleged hidden agenda behind the delimitation exercise.

Heated Exchange in House

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a strong appeal on X, urged all MPs to “reflect upon their conscience” and think about the women in their own families while voting. He called the legislation a historic opportunity to ensure justice for Nari Shakti.

However, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge rejected the appeal outright. “We will not allow the Bill to pass. We will vote against it,” Kharge said. TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee accused the government of resorting to unnecessary “drama” over delimitation.

Rahul’s Sharp Attack

Speaking during the second day of the special session, Gandhi claimed the Bill is a panic reaction by the BJP. He described PM Modi’s Thursday speech as “low energy” where “nothing was transmitting.”

“This women’s reservation Bill will not empower women. Bring the old law and we will support it,” Gandhi said. He alleged the government is attempting to “rejig” the political map, similar to exercises conducted in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam.

The ‘Number 16’ Riddle

When pressed by reporters later about the significance of the number, Gandhi remained evasive. “It’s a puzzle. I won’t tell the answer this way,” he said.

The remark sparked intense speculation, with opposition sources hinting at a major political disclosure. Meanwhile, Union Minister Chirag Paswan accused the LoP of “lowering the dignity” of his post by relying on storytelling and analogies instead of debating policy.

Key Meeting & Numbers Game

As the debate continued, a key meeting of the BJP was held in Parliament House under party president Nitin Nabin to finalise strategy. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to respond to the debate around 6 pm.

According to official sources, the government needs a special majority to pass the constitutional amendment. With the NDA holding 292 MPs and the INDIA bloc at 233, the ruling coalition is confident but short of the two-thirds mark without opposition support.

What Next for the Bill

The Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, was formally brought into force late Thursday to enable the current amendments. Voting on the three amended Bills related to delimitation and quota implementation is expected later on Friday.

For the latest news updates on the Parliament proceedings, follow this English news portal India. The final numbers will determine whether the government secures a historic win or faces a surprise defeat on the floor of the House.