In the wake of its stinging defeat in Parliament over its attempt to push the delimitation Bill, moves are on within the Government to revive the legislation and also bring in the One Nation One Election Bill — both before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, The Indian Express has learnt.To this effect, emboldened by its victory in West Bengal, sources said, the BJP is reaching out to regional parties eyeing a political realignment in Parliament. This, even as the main Opposition Congress has categorically said that the Government should follow due process and consult all parties before taking any step.AdvertisementSources said the Union Home Ministry is preparing a fresh delimitation Bill after its attempt to pass the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty First Amendment) Bill, 2026 fell short of the required two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha in April.The renewed push follows the April-May assembly elections, which dealt a severe blow to the TMC and DMK in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, disrupting Opposition dynamics.Sources said that within the DMK, following its shock defeat and the Congress’s move to join the TVK government, there are voices open to negotiating “on specific issues” with the BJP. At the same time, the BJP is closely watching the deepening divisions within the TMC and growing anger against its leadership in West Bengal. How and when these play out in Parliament is also a factor in the BJP strategy going forward.AdvertisementOpinion | After defeat of delimitation bill, South India must confront inequalities withinIn parallel, work is on to formalise the One Nation One Election Bill, that seeks to synchronise Lok Sabha and assembly polls. Currently, it is being reviewed by a 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Asked about the proposed legislation, JPC chairman P P Chaudhary told The Indian Express: “The law will be amended soon. We are making good progress as far as the report is concerned, and we will submit the report in time.” The JPC’s tenure has been extended until the first day of the last week of the Monsoon session.Another BJP leader said this law’s rollout could be phased, given the varying terms of state assemblies. “For example, five states had elections just now. Seven states (UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat) have assembly elections due in 2027. So there is a possibility of One Nation One Election being implemented in phases,” he said.Explained | Delimitation: At heart of row, value of a vote, fiscal imbalanceThe BJP is learnt to have reached out to the DMK on this. “The BJP has already approached the DMK, proposing changes to the present form of the (One Nation One Election) Bill to address the party’s concerns. The draft Bill will be shared with DMK leaders to seek their support,” sources said.“Since the BJP and the DMK have been on opposite sides on a number of issues, coming together will be a gradual process. It will be issue-based at first,” said a BJP leader familiar with the latest political developments in Tamil Nadu.A senior DMK leader said: “On issues such as delimitation and One Nation One Election, the party’s position has always been guided by Tamil Nadu’s interests rather than ideology alone. If the Centre provides a credible assurance that states, which successfully implemented population control measures, will not be penalised in parliamentary representation, and if the existing representation ratio is protected through a mutually acceptable formula, there is no reason to reject a proposal… Our concern is safeguarding Tamil Nadu’s voice in Parliament.”DMK leaders, however, described suggestions of a political arrangement with the BJP as “premature”, citing ideological and political differences. “We are nowhere near discussing alliances. The DMK’s differences with the BJP are well known. But politics is not conducted in absolutes. Indian parliamentary history has seen parties extend support on specific issues or provide stability under extraordinary circumstances, as happened during the Vajpayee years. Any future decision would depend entirely on the political context and whether Tamil Nadu’s interests and federal rights are protected,” a former DMK minister said.When the delimitation Bill was taken up, the Opposition INDIA bloc voted as a united front with 230 MPs, including those from the Congress, DMK (22) and TMC (28). The bloc had objected to the Bill linking the contentious expansion of the Lok Sabha and the rollout of the women’s reservation Act, and had raised fears about the marginalisation of southern states’ representation.During the debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said the Government was willing to bring an amendment to ensure a uniform 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats across states if the Opposition agreed to support the Bill. He said that by this formula, the southern states would not lose out.Asked whether the Congress would support a fresh delimitation Bill if its concerns were addressed, party leader Jairam Ramesh told The Indian Express: “First there should be an all-party meeting; give the proposals in writing — our last experience showed that there is a world of difference from what was promised and what came in the Bill. There should be discussions, and parties should get time to finalise their stances… because it’s a Constitution amendment… You cannot bring in amendments during the debate.”you may likePointing out that the Treasury benches had held discussions with regional parties while keeping the Congress and key Opposition parties out, Ramesh said: “Even what was conveyed to them orally was not there in the draft Bill. It showed their intentions were not clear.”While the BJP leadership is in contact with DMK leaders, including former chief minister M K Stalin, the party appears to have a different plan in West Bengal. “The internal fissures in the TMC and the intensifying anger against the party’s leaders have made it vulnerable. Politics in Bengal has changed. The section that is deeply disappointed with the current TMC leadership is growing stronger by the day. TMC is not like the Congress; it is a regional party, and there could be a development, including a split, that the BJP could use to its advantage in Parliament,” said a senior BJP leader.Days after her party lost power in West Bengal, TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee had launched a scathing attack on the new BJP government, accusing it of using political pressure and intimidation against opponents. “The more the BJP tortures TMC in Bengal, the more problems it will face in New Delhi… Our party workers and elected representatives are being tortured and intimidated, but we are holding on,” she said.